BoD

A few years ago I made the trip to Ally Pally for a couple of years, just to see some layouts from ‘darn sarf’’ but also to meet up with members of ERs. I’m glad I did because it gave me the chance to meet GordonS (R.I.P) and Tony S as well as others, but I do wish now that I had occasionally kept up that practice so that I might have had the pleasure of meeting Chris, John and others in person.

So, who is going to be first to mention that Johnny Cash song?

Especially if you are trying to recreate Little Bytham and its full length trains.

Oh dear. More sad news. Commiserations to all who knew John.

… not too long until the nights start drawing in again then.

I have family out that way and going by the photographs they have posted it looks quite.. er … interesting. Take care those who are affected. Even if you are used to it.

He should have broke the news about the new layout more gently.

I’ve got their inspection saloon too. Yup, still in its box. The thing is, if I wanted a manufacturer to announce a particular RTR model all I had to do was buy the kit for it.

If you give one a gentle push you will see how much less it freewheels compared to other stock. I tried a train of five so the effect was obviously cumulative. Anyway, enough of this on your thread, and I will continue to look for ways to improve their running.

Well you did tell him that you’d retired didn’t you.

Hello Rob. Sorry I haven't replied earlier but I was 'playing trains' yesterday. The design of the OTA axle boxes shown below has always struck me as being somewhat toy like. As you can see, the axles do not fit into the axle boxes in any way. When the correct way up the weight of the wagon must bear down on the axle through those two u shaped pieces on the bottom of the bogie. Did you successfully 'ream out' any part of these?

Perhaps British Gas don’t trust their software people as much.

Over here the government has made payments to households to help cover the increase in the cost of fuel. Payments to households are made each month. My energy company, rather than just reducing the bill by this amount (it’s the same amount for everyone) started making these payments into my bank account. I was wondering why they bothered doing it this way but then I guess it would be much easier and with fewer chances of things going wrong for them to write and test a whole new piece of code rather than risk altering and then testing the code of their existing proven main billing system.

I tend not to put bacon in spotties if I can help it. Seriously though, it is getting harder and harder to get a good stottie cake these days. Greggs effort is a poor imitation.

Morning all It is relatively mild here this morning compared to the last few days and is forecast to be above zero all day. Tomorrow is forecast for double figures. Positively balmy. That’s the winter over then. The long term forecast is for a wet and windy one. I’m off to the NT today to run the model trains. It will be for the last time until the house reopens for the new season in February. A bacon and black pudding bap (with brown sauce) should fortify me for the day. Have a good day one and all.

Morning Rob. It is good to see your regular postings again after the ‘summer recess’. The viaduct is looking particularly effective. It always amazes me that once you have decided to do something you progress it so quickly. Are those the Hornby OTAs? How well do yours run? I find the design of the axle housing so bad that they aren’t free running at all and it doesn’t take many of them to create so much drag that some locos struggle with them. I’ve tried cycle grease and graphite powder but nothing seems to ease them.

Yes, and did you know that if you say the word ‘orange’ out loud, very slowly and clearly, it sounds like gullible. Try it and see.

Morning all Relatively mild here but still not mild enough to melt the lying snow and the car will need ‘sorting’ before we go anywhere. Where I live we have a large storage heater. It’s called the North Sea*. Winter temperatures are always a degree or two warmer here than even a mile or so inland. We can have no snow but there will be a good covering there to. It works against us though when the wind switches to the north and east. We can get the hammer then. * That’s probably true of the whole county, Maritime Temperate climate and all that, but we notice the effect quite markedly on the coast.

When faced with similar I reply: Hang on a minute, you have just spent ten minutes selling me this and telling what a fantastic, reliable product it is but now you are saying you think it won’t last a year and I need to insure it. I’m sorry but I no longer wish to purchase it. Try it sometime and watch their faces.

Happy retirement @TheQ Enjoy.

I’ve never driven on the M25. I think the closest I’ve been to it is Doncaster. Just out of interest, how on earth does one manage to eat a bap with baked beans in it? Black pudding - Stornaway, Clonakilty or my local butcher’s. Yummy.

Like some others, I only knew Chris through ERs. Nevertheless, I am deeply saddened as I feel I have lost a good friend.

Morning all and belated birthday greetings to John @Two_sugars Not a great deal happening here. A light smattering of snow appeared overnight. Today’s main event will be the weekly shop padded out with a few non-perishables for Christmas. We prefer to stay away from the food shops if possible during Christmas week itself - they tend to be ridiculously busy. Perhaps this year will be more subdued than usual. I somewhat doubt it.

Surely that would depend on whether or not one is playing cards at the time.

Ah, so that’s where the drifts went.