PhilJ W

I've found a poppy growing in the front garden. It was hiding among the weeds but not on the side of the garden were the poppies normally grow.

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Managed to make it to smiffs this afternoon and acquired the April Back Track, together with three railway bookazines that caught my eye. Just as well that I wasn't shopping in Asda as the queue stretched the length of the shopping centre, around 400 metres in my estimation. I popped into Savers for loo rolls and soap but decided against going into poundland as they had a long queue.

It is indeed the Victoria Embankment but the tram is about to cross Blackfriars bridge. The M class were no longer in service when the war started. When London Transport was created in 1933 the M class was in the process of withdrawal a few were kept on to replace older 4 wheelers in IIRC Bexley as the trams there were only fit for scrap. The class was withdrawn when trolleybuses took over c. 1936 in Bexley. A couple did survive until the end of trams in 1952 but they had been Lengthened and mounted on bogies and re-classified as members of the E class.

Once the poppies have finished I pull up the dead plants and dig them in. As I said they sprouted in September but the weather didn't stay warm long enough for them to flower properly.

Can you get Marmite flavoured pot noodle?

FYI by the beginning of the war almost all London trams had had the vestibles enclosed. Those few that remained with open vestibles were used for staff transport and very rarely if ever were used in passenger service. Also, as you've set your layout close to the major LT depot at Charlton you have a good excuse for running engineers trams such as stores vans and snow brooms.

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Talking of flowering plants, I have two clumps of daffodils in my front garden. Though they are within a couple of feet of each other one has already gone over whereas the other has just flowered. I presume the ones that have just flowered have done so due to there proximity to the north facing front of the house, the other clump is about three feet away. One thing I have noticed is a lack of poppies in my garden this year. I normally leave them to self seed but last year the spring crop of seeds sprouted but didn't flower when we had a warm spell later in the year. The only poppies I've seen are growing wild in the council shrubbery on the corner, probably arising after the council contractors cut it back a few weeks ago. Only problem that as they are on the edge of the footpath they might get damaged before they set seed.

Goodnight all.

Evening all from Estuary-Land. A bit of sad news this evening, one of our MRC members passed away last month. Its unlikely to be CV19 related as he was 90 and had terminal bone cancer. RIP Dennis.

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Still trying to keep up with Farcebook. Another 40 or so applicants for membership of the local group.

Not in this case as its only slightly over A4 in size and 22mm thick and kept in a warm dry place.

Morning all from Estuary-Land. A lot cooler this morning and the wind is a bit noisy (no not that wind!) but at least the hay fever has abated. I have done a bit of m*d*l*ng this morning. The other day I found a 'forgotten' item, a large sheet of stickyback printed with a road with markings and parking bays, IIRC it was given to me many moons ago. I looked at it and then I looked at a piece of MDF in my offcuts box that was similar in length and width. A quick check revealed that the stickyback would fit on the MDF with a few millimetres to spare. The stickyback is now firmly stuck to the MDF which is quite thick, about 20mm so no problems with warpage. Now all I have to do is some scenics. A word of warning for ChrisF, if your going to use the radio times as loo paper don't forget to remove the staples first.

Goodnight all.

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Still keeping up with Farcebook (just about). Traffic has increased dramatically since lockdown and many groups have had dozens of new members. One of my groups had 50 applications for membership in half an hour this afternoon. I'd better get back now.

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Had a short sharp hail-storm about an hour ago. I was alerted to it by its rattling on the front door and windows, I looked out of the patio doors to the back garden and the patio wasn't even wet and the sun was still shining.

Happy Easter.

Breaking news this morning, Stirling Moss has passed away.

Happy Easter all.

Ann Widdecombe?

Morning all from Estuary-Land. I'm with ChrisF on BBC scheduling, its best to treat the program schedule as a work of fiction. Yesterday evening I took to running through the Virgin TV listings for something interesting. I did find something, an archeological dig in a Surrey vineyard that had been a Home Guard training area and they discovered a Covenator tank buried there! I found it very interesting only problem was I missed the start of the program. Now for breakfast, be back later.

Goodnight all.

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Not much to report this evening.

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Went down to smiffs just after lunch to find them shut. Apparently someone decided instead of closing at four as last week they closed at 2.30, about 20 minutes before the time I got there. Time for a mug of tea, be back later.

I have been informed by a neighbour that it was indeed a sparrow. He also said that he hadn't heard (or seen) a sparrow for several years.