PhilJ W

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Dug out my test track and I can report that the new loco runs extremely well. I was surprised to discover that it was quite happy to run smoothly at low speed, just as well as when running cab first it will stand on its nose when the power is shut off quickly, due to the combination of short wheelbase and top heavy white metal body. It doesn't like dirty track, as you would expect with a very short wheelbase. No need to replace the chassis, all that needs doing is a touch of paint and the addition of couplers.

Morning all from Estuary-Land. I've been scutinising yesterdays locomotive purchase. I think the Tenshodo might have to go but that depends on the test run. I've been assured that it is working but even if it is the Tenshodo 10.5 mm wheels have been replaced by 12 or 13 mm ones so the speeds attainable might be a bit excessive for an industrial shunter. A little bit of painting will be required as the buffing beams/buffers are still mostly in grey primer though a start had been made on painting the rear buffer beam. There is a detailed cab interior but very little is visible through the cab windows which are unglazed.

Waiting for the splash as the person walking the dog goes in.

Goodnight all.

Afternoon from Estuary-Land. Had a good morning at the Shenfield exhibition, only made a couple of purchases. One was the new edition of 'The Wantage Tramway' from Wild Swan. The other was a 00 scale Hibbard 'Planet' loco from the club stand. A well built white metal body on a Tenshodo motor bogie, not bad for £50. The Shenfield club sales often throws up bargains/unusual models, a few years ago I obtained a large bag of bits from various plastic rolling stock kits for 25p that turned out to contain enough parts for about eight Gloster bogies for modern goods stock (less wheels). As Tony said we didn't meet each other but I did see some familiar faces but no ER's/RMwebbers AFAIK.

That would be Asda's which is owned by Walmart.

Morning all from Estuary-Land. A quick hello before going to Shenfield, hope to see Tony there he said he would be. Back later.

Goodnight all.

FYI spiders don't climb up the waste pipe and through the plughole, there's no way they can get through the U-bend. They get onto the bath rim and slip down the steep sides and are trapped. To remove them take the cardboard tube from a toilet roll, place a cloth over one end and the other end over the spider. The spider will want to hide in the tube so to release it remove the cloth and tap the tube and the spider will be gone.

Evening all from Estuary-Land. The reason for the closure of the tracks at Headstone Lane was the unstable wall could only be safely accessed from track side. The train bombing at Parson's Green has replaced virtually all other news. Amongst the items is the lorry driver involved in the fatal minibus accident (the one over the drink drive limit) has now been found to have had his licence revoked before the accident. And whats more there is no record of him at the address he gave.

Morning all from Estuary-Land. A bit late this morning due to a long hot soak in the bath. Commiserations and congratulations where neccessary, be back later.

Goodnight all.

Two thirds = 66%

I have a couple of GBL models that need a new home, Mallard and the Deltic. Free to a good home.

Evening all from Estuary-Land. I have a trailer but its so small and light it does not even require brakes. I purchased it brand new about a year ago but have only used it once or twice. I always understood that a trailer should never exceed two thirds of the weight of the towing vehicle. A lot of drivers haven't got a clue about towing trailers even those who you would expect to know better. A couple of motoring journalists were towing a car on a trailer when the trailer started swinging from side to side, so to quote "I accelerated to straighten up the trailer." Inevitably he lost control but fortunately without any damage to vehicles or occupants.

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Just been going through my Facebook page. My neice has just told me that she has had a hip replacement. I knew she was waiting for one but I didn't expect it to be so soon. She had injured her hip in an accident at work and she has recently been invalided out due to the accident. At the moment she is more concerned about a friend who has gone missing, she has been missing now for a couple of weeks and everyone is very worried indeed. Thats it for now, be back later.

Goodnight all.

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Birthday wishes to Beth and I hope you're out of hospital soon Jamie. ON a Morris Minor? I've seen YouTube videos of the same. The suspension is pumped up to maximum giving about two feet of ground clearance.

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Bright sun but a bit windy this morning but the seaweed twirlers predict the odd shower later. Last thing I remember last night was the rain rattling the windows until seven this morning when I awoke, or to be more accurate my bladder woke me up. Not much doing today but its club night tonight where a little bit of modelling and a lot of chewing the cud goes on. Be back later.

Goodnight all.

Evening all from Estuary-Land. A few years ago it was like a classic car show around here. I had a rare (about two dozen left) Reliant Kitten van. The neighbour opposite had a VW type 2 camper, on the other corner there was a Citroen DS and a bit further down the road was a Hillman Imp and an early Mini. There are none now, I sold my van on when I realised that I was unlikely ever to get it back on the road myself. The chap with the VW camper moved away as he needed a larger house for his growing family. The Citroen DS was scrapped, it had belonged to a friend of the house owners grandson who couldn't be traced and the elderly lady house owner sold up and went into a care home. It was so rotten that when they went to tow it away it buckled in the middle. The owner of the Imp died and the Mini owner moved away. A classic car would be nice but unless you are willing (and able) to maintain them yourself they can be expensive to run.

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Sorry to hear about Beth's hand, hot fat burns can be nasty. Theres been some strange looking trolleybuses built, the oddest must be the double ended one built and operated in Liege. Just like the trams it replaced it had a driving position at each end each with its own steering wheel.

Goodnight all.

In the 50's and to a lesser extent the 60's there were plenty of trolleybus operaters in the Midlands. The ones you saw in Wales would have almost certainly been in Cardiff were they lasted until about 1970.

Riding a 1931 preserved trolleybus on the public highway. EDIT. There is a link to the Museum website as well.