BoD

I hope it’s not needed but if it is I am sure you will be able to get a good stick that matches the boots and tie.

Ah, but could you get the world famous CalMac curry and chips?

Afternoon all. I’m still using the tradesman's entrance.* Hope all are well. If not, get well soon. Positive thoughts to those who need them. Cataract op seems to have gone well and it only took a day or two for eye to settle. Having had the other one done a few years ago, I no longer need to wear spectacles. I still find myself trying to adjust them or push them up my nose even though they are not there. Having worn them for over fifty years it is hardly surprising. Downside is I will need reading glasses and you are advised to wait six weeks before having a test. Tried some light muddling earlier and it was a no go. Close vision is blurred. I have to read at nearly arms length too * I suppose tradesman is no longer pc. It has to be tradesperson or trader I suppose. I hate the term batter now in use in cricket. I guess Baz is just grateful that the term is umpire rather than umpsman or he would now be known to one and all as an umper.

…. And your pile of dried tea leaves.

Didn’t they sub your normal bill with a much larger one?

Afternoon all Managed to creep in via the back door again. The number of pages full of erudite, insightful, deeply meaningful and sometimes witty posts since I last visited never ceases to amaze. I sit reading this through blurred vision, or just one eye, as I had a cataract op earlier this afternoon. I have nothing but praise for how efficient and caring everyone involved was. It will take a few days for the eye to settle but other than feeling a bit gritty, which is normal, and uncomfortable because it is still dilated everything feels fine. I hope that when everything settles I can use three link couplings. I never could before.

And on that subject… What do the initials DNA stand for? The National Dyslexic Association. I know, Sorry.

Why did I think of some here when I saw this?

Thank you for your response Andrew (and others). I will send it in next day or two.

It is a while since I have used my Sprog3 and when I tried to use it yesterday it seems to have developed a fault. Hopefully someone here may have seen similar and be able to help or, at worst, may be able to tell me that the Sprog is definitely totally goosed. The Sprog is connected to a short length of programming track. This has not changed and I have used a multimeter to check all connections and for shorts. When I reconnected the Sprog the Coms port had changed from the last time I used it from COM3 to COM6. It showed up in the computer's device manager and was using a generic microsoft USB driver. Is this correct or does it need its own drivers? I access the Sprog using Decoder Pro and changed the COM setting in preferences to match. I made no other changes and my roster and other details were all there as they were the last time I used the Sprog. However ... When I tried to use the sprog to identify a loco I was getting the message no loco detected (Error 301 as per screen shot). There was no 'pulsing' of the loco. I tried this with two different locos that both worked ok on the main layout. Strangely, when I connected power to the Sprog using the power supply purchased with it, I got this message This happened only when the power supply was on and even if there was nothing connected to the track terminals on the Sprog - and as I have said I have checked continuity to the program track and for shorts. Is there something that I have missed or does it look like my Sprog has suffered something terminal?

Morning all. I am still having trouble accessing some topics. I only managed to get in here this morning because it appeared on the home page as the result of a recent posting. I must post on the site fault forum and see if there is a solution. I hope this finds everyone well. If not, my thoughts are with you. Last weekend we took our grandson to Chester zoo. I wasn’t sure about this as I’m not a fan if zoos but they have set the zoo up in such a way that whist, yes the animals are still in captivity, they have large spaces that seem quite natural. The downside is I walked about 8 miles seeing it all. The furthest I have walked since the dreaded lurgy and I felt it. I understand the zoo does an awful lot for conservation and research too so it was on balance an enjoyable experience. Until the next time …..

Evening all I am having a problem with RMweb at the moment. When I try to go to certain forums, wheeltappers included, the screen goes grey and the whole thing hangs. This means that I can only get into ERs and other favourite topics elsewhere if I catch it when they appear as the most recent entry on the main page. This doesn’t happen on my phone but does on my iPad. I can’t easily follow RMweb on my phone. It’s an eyesight thing. I’m not deliberately ignoring you.

There’s not one particular button to respond to that. So… thanks, informative, supportive, like….. … you get the picture.

Yes, it is down south in Yorkshire, but only just. Warning Trigger alert: Modelling stuff. Please look the other way if easily offended. The layouts are not a part of the original building nor anything to do with the owners and so are not used as a 'selling point'. They are very popular though with those who know that they exist and always cause a 'wow' moment for those who don't. For reasons that I won't go into here there are only two of the layouts open at the moment. Having said that, the house is worth a visit too. I did mention that the builder of the main layout also contributed buildings to Pendon. I like to think his own layout, which was donated to us, is quite Pendonesque too. You decide. Pictures grabbed on phone so don't really do it justice. Yes I did enjoy my day, thank you. I couldn't do any other 'playing' with that.

I can smell the sea tang just looking at those pictures. Wonderful.

Good morning all Shortly I will be off to Ormesby Hall where I volunteer for the National Trust. Ormesby is unique among national trust properties in that it has model railways and my role there involves operating one of these and describing it to the public. Why mention this? Well, our main layout was donated to us by its builder, a man called Ron Rising, who modelled some of the buildings on Pendon. @chrisf’s visit there reminded me of this. Ron duplicated some of his Pendon buildings on this layout and the rest are all to a similar standard. It is a thing of beauty which I feel privileged to be able to operate and talk about. We are a bit out of the way for many here but if ever you are passing and get the chance, it is well worth a visit. Enough of model railways. Have a good day, I know I will.

Les Kellet and The Royal Brothers spring to mind. Always good for a laugh.

You are Sir Humphrey. I claim my £5

Despite my cynicism I was trying to give them credit for what they do.

….. or just lower that section of wall.

Regarding old buildings, no matter what you say about ‘Spoons’’, and many people do, they seem to treat buildings they have taken over with a good degree of sympathy. Our local one was once a department store and they kept the distinctive windows, the one in Colwyn Bay was once a cinema and you can tell. Keswick Spoons is in the old Courthouse building and has the original cells incorporated. Perhaps it was part of the planning permissions and they were forced to do so, perhaps they felt it the right thing to do, or, in true spoons style, perhaps it was the cheapest option. Whatever the reason, they have preserved many features that may otherwise have been lost.

It must be your dictionary because it’s in mine. It doesn’t show up in any internet searches though.

Look at the old signs just dumped there (next to the caravan). What price now?

That is looking really good, Rob. Did you know that MSE/Wizard models do the signal pulley posts? https://www.wizardmodels.ltd/shop/signals/ls008/