big jim

I got forza 6 the other week on game pass then managed to get all the LDC for it for £8 on Microsoft store, so much easier to get into compared grand tourismo I’ve got some hooks coming later to hang up my new motorised projector screen up so i may fire up the Xbox and have a Play if I get a chance

That’s why I’ve not gone too mad with it!

Yes I did spot you, was having a conversation with my boss at the time!

You’ll be alright nige, they are a quirky loco but are also very good when they go well and if they do mess up there’s not a lot you can go looking for yourself, you’ll enjoy them especially compared to a class 66 on an intermodal Noise wise!

Cooper S booked in for a week on Monday for its supercharger service at the local mini specialist Lohen got to rearrange insurance on it once it’s done as it’s also having a stage 2 superchip bluefin installed as well as an 11% smaller pulley on the supercharger, that combined with the exhaust and induction kit should push it to around 220-240bhp so my standard insurance policy won’t cover the extra mods getting it rolling roaded while it’s there to see what power it’s putting out once it’s modded, watch this space

it was locked away in the yard next to the 24/7 manned office, wouldn’t risk it in the station car park, the lucky thing is now in saltley depot until Thursday! not sure tbh, it does Bedford and St Albans though

Not bothered with many pics this week as it’s been RHTT again but got a few today, been assessing another driver on the route and due to my start time tomorrow had to get off at Rugeley to get to bescot for my car (thats been sat there for 2 weeks!) Macclesfield rugeley changing trains at Walsall one of our 66s passing through trafford Park tomorrow and RHTT again next week amongst other things

no benefit, just curious

I’ve got the usage meter from a previous supplier which is still in use but what I’m going to miss is being able to compare month by month my actual spend, especially with having been with ovo for nearly 3 years I could look at the app and instantly compare how much I spent back in say sept 2017 compared to sept 2019

Something that made me smile this evening, finally got round to watching “bohemian rhapsody” WOW, what a film! loving the bit where Mike Myers character says “bohemian rhapsody isn’t the type of tune that mates headbang together to in the car” a nice nod to Wayne’s world where for those who don’t know Mike Myers played Wayne

I had a smart meter fitted about 2 years back and it’s been really good, able to monitor usage etc, surprising how much I’ve saved by being more aware of what is racking up the bills using the OVO app on the phone anyway last week switched to a new supplier (EDF) and couldn’t see anywhere on their app where I could see my useage, messaged them and got a reply to say that my smart meter was not compatible with their system so it’s no better than a normal meter now and they won’t change a smart meter for a newer one. I now have to give meter readings again but to top it off I only have to give 2 a year so I have no way of monitoring my usage any more luckily it’s only a 12 month contract so once it’s up I’ll most likely move back to OVO if the rates are favourable so much for inter company compatibility!

Did the shunt with the locos so the big cabs were at the outer end then set off with the RHTT again! same again tomorrow

Regards the cabs I believe the smaller cab was in fact an addition as being like a lot of American/Canadian locos they were designed to have one cab and work in multi so the 2nd cab was added late on! as for moving the locos about I checked the locos were staying on the train all week and checked it was ok to move them about, all control need to know is the train formation once I’m done. The move is needed as there will be 3 of us in the cab on Wednesday and quite simply there isn’t enough room in the small cab for 3, the big cab cab for my camping chair in for the 3rd guy

I’ve put 2 long ‘picture pride’ display cases up on the side wall, they are long enough for 4 coach trains, I’ve put most of my yellow stuff in one of them one more to put up that’s just the right size for 2 car units

Back to the RHTT again today and we actually made it to Macclesfield! bescot depot into rugby and away to Macclesfield And back to rugby going to swap the locos round tomorrow so the big cabs are on the outer end of the train, much more room for us if I do that, only takes a couple of shunt moves to do but one of those jobs where you wish you had the hand of god to just lift the loco from one end to the other!

Trident is my shop of choice, only 15 mins from home and open in a Sunday when I forget things for the layout. been shopping there since richard took over from the other guy, he certainly turned the place around, amazing what a friendly face can do, always like to have a laugh with him, (mostly over highly inappropriate things) if your in the area it’s certainly worth a look in the shop and the ‘antique’ barns in dagfields, be warned though trident is closed Monday and Tuesday

We managed 1/2 a trip before it broke!

Just a few from today, rugby to bescot, the train left london 2 1/2 hours late but picked up a bit of time en route so was only about 90 late when it got to me, grabbed a few pics while I waited at rugby ghostolino voyager pendolino coming in to stop while my train approached my train top and tailed with 66757 and 66777 and into bescot where Marcus37 son dealt with the uncoupling i was then supposed to conduct the RHTT train ton Macclesfield but yet again it was cancelled so I caught a passenger train back to Rugeley for my car, while I was waiting on bescot station the locos off my delayed engineers train passed back through on the Toton tripper! and that’s that, work phone off for the weekend

my prezzies from my mum from last Christmas are still at my brothers house as she gave them to him to pass on to me the next time I saw him, unfortunately the next time I saw him was her funeral and my christmas presents were the last thing on our minds going to be a strange one this year opening presents from my mum 8 months after she died, hope she never got me that puppy I asked for!

Such a manic day yesterday I only managed one pic! after my night in Doncaster I was up bright and early to get the set back to bescot, all ready to roll at 07:30 only to get a path in for 09:15 arriving into bescot at 13:35! Over 4 hours to do about 100 miles, managed an early start only to be held en route a number of times arriving into bescot late! a check of the machine and away we went to nuneaton to pick up the original path of the RHTT only for us to get 2 minutes into spraying before the generator went pop again, got as far as rugby where the train was cancelled and moved back to bescot later in the evening by another driver, whether it runs today I don’t know but I’m supposed to be conducting it Rugeley to Macclesfield and back after I do a job out of rugby first which has also gone pear shaped and is currently about 2-3 hours late which could knacker me for the RHTT off to Tenby tonight for the weekend for a well deserved break before I go back to the RHTT next week

Another interesting Day on the WCML RHTT train, started in bescot..... and ended up on the ECML in Doncaster! The generator on the set failed and has got to be repaired or swapped out so it’s heading back to york as we speak for an overnight repair, I’m staying in Doncaster so if, as hoped it’s all done for the morning I can pick it up and take it back to bescot to get back on its booked circuit!

I can honestly say I’m not convinced by it, dunno if it’s the white lettering but something isn’t quite right, wonder how it would look with orange numbers etc

Dunno what it is, there doesn’t appear to be covering anything like graffiti , I’m thinking it may be undercoat covering a corrosion repair or something, it’s been there a while as it follows the shape of the old decal! interesting addition to add to the Bachmann ltd Ed model of it

Yes it had a radio issue at Euston so was terminated there, unfortunately no one bothered to tell me so I turned up at bescot this morning to work the train only to find it cancelled so went home again! should run tomorrow but another paperwork issue may see it only go as far as kidsgrove on the northbound run unless it’s resolved by departure time

not yet but give it a few more days!