PhilJ W

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Tried to contact my brother in hospital this evening, got the start of his answerphone message then silence. I then contacted my sister who informed me that he is now out of the ICU but might be in hospital for a while yet. Thats knocked the family get together I was planning for a couple of weeks time on the head for at least until after Christmas. Best wishes for Tony and Rick with their hospital visits tomorrow and John as others have said think of it as a celebration of Sandys life.

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Just had confirmation of the trip to Warley. I only live 10 minutes from the pick up point so no problem and being a Sunday there are no parking restrictions so those coming from further afield will have no problems parking.

That might possibly be what they did.

Morning all from Estuary-Land. No more news on my brother so no news is good news. I will have to discuss with the family having a little get together before Christmas. It would have been my dads 100th birthday in two weeks time, that seems a good time as any. Bright and sunny at the moment but the wet stuff is predicted for later though Arthur Itis is keeping quiet for now. Thats all for now, be back later.

But not as crude as the NASCAR stock cars who cheated on the fuel limits by using fuel lines up to 3" in diameter.

Certainly modified for film work. A pair of Stalwarts turned up in a Scrapyard in the USA a few months ago and people were asking on Farcebook what they were.

Goodnight all.

1903 car, driver killed and passenger badly hurt.

Sadly took a wrong turning and ended up on the Motorway. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-50281989#_=_

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Came in from doing a bit of shopping this afternoon to see a call from my sister on the answerphone. My brother who has renal failure had to be taken into hospital due to an infection where a canula had been placed in his arm to enable dialysis to take place. Fortunately the antibiotics are working and he should be home in a day or so. Not a lot else happening, time to put the kettle on, be back later.

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Bright and sunny at the mo, hope it stays that way. Yesterday I passed several notices advertising fireworks for sale attached to lamp posts and road signs and even on a roundabout yet when my my model railway club wanted to put signs up directing visitors to our show we were told we couldn't due to elfin safe tea. Best wishes to Sheila, Sharron and Rick, be back later.

On the subject of the SR pillbox vans. As many know BR adopted a modified version of the LNER van as standard. However they proved to large for some lines so a batch of the SR designed 'Pill Box' vans were built, it was one of these that stood on its own isolated piece of track for many years at Manea in the former GE territory. The Pill Box vans were made narrower to enable them to be used on the Hastings line.

Some were but they were of the 4 wheel pillbox type. The ones used in Scotland were the bogie Queen Mary vans.

A lot of Southern brake vans were commanderred by the military, probably because they had some to spare. There are photographs of Queen Mary brakevans in Scotland during the war. GWR toads did not travel far from base even within the GWR system, many were allocated to specific routes or services.

Goodnight all.

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Just been watching a couple of programs on Channel 4. One about the history of Canterbury and one about the Fosse Way. Quite interesting and not a sequine in sight. Not quite the battle of the Somme outside tonight but someones trying. Time to put the kettle on, be back later.

"Am I going to be OK doc?" "I doubt it Mercury is in Uranus right now." "I don't go in for that astrology stuff." "Neither do I but my thermometer has just broken."

Also in the film was the steel beam protecting the bridge and its replacement. The replacement was almost identical except that the original was bent by an impact which must have been quite severe to bend a 12" I-beam.

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Quite a nice little show at Wickford, little is the word with only five layouts and one trader. Made a couple of small purchases of scenic items. Also there was a display about some of the local industrial railways including naturally the Salvation Army line at Hadleigh. I spoke to the guy who put it on and mentioned the McEwan-Pratt locomotive works which stood and indeed still stands within half a mile of where we were standing, he was completely unaware of its existance! Managed to dodge the worst of the showers, now its fairly dry but still blowing a hooley.

It looks as if they just put more ballast underneath the track to raise it.

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Out shortly to the small exhibition at Wickford. Not that interested with a group of men playing with their funny shaped balls. A bit wet and windy here but predicted to pass over by lunchtime.

Try the local history from where the company was based.

Goodnight all.

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Q, the squealing fan belt is almost certainly because it is too tight, best get it sorted before it does the alternator bearings in. Soon be gone if he's impeached. No reference from me on politics on this side of the pond except that Sir John Bercow has a nice ring to it.