PhilJ W

Morning all from Estuary-Land. I order my tea online as none of the supermarkets bother to stock large leaf loose tea. The latest batch arrived last week but when I opened a pack it turned out to be fine leaf which is unusable in filter teapots. A complaint has been dispatched and I am awaiting their reply. In the meantime I have scoured the kitchen cupboards and found some of the right kind of tea in airtight tins so I have just enough to last today and tomorrow. Have a good trip Jamie, and the good doctor.

Goodnight all.

Good question. A lot would depend on the legal status. Some of the trains continued to use the tram tracks after the trams were replaced by trolleybuses but continued to draw power from the trolleybus overhead using twin poles.

They were built down to a price instead of up to a specification. Thats why there are so many Routemasters still on the road. Indeed there are far more of their contemporary and rival Titans still around and still carrying fare paying passengers.

There were some tramways built under a light railway order, Southend-on-sea for example.

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Teas made, not doing much today, thats it be back later.

Goodnight all.

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Had a pleasant morning at the car rally, it seemed to be the same group that used to hold a rally at Vange near to where I live until a few years ago. I purchased three second hand books at £2 each. Two were about road vehicles one about the RT bus and the other about British Road Services. The third caught my eye as it was the history of W & J Glossop and Co. who were a road laying company. Quite interesting details about road laying in the 20's and 30's with a railway connection as they had their own fleet of PO wagons for carrying road stone. When I dropped my friend of at home his daughters were in a panic because there was no electricity. The supply had tripped so it was a case of switching out each circuit to find which one was tripping out. It turned out to be the one to the pump that pressurises the boiler so they have no hot water. We had popped into Wickes on the way back for the Celotex for the lads layout and while we were there we looked at replacement flooring for the lads bedroom. It had suffered woodworm that now has been gotten rid of but some of the floorboards are now like a Swiss cheese.

In those circumstances you done very well.

I think that the same applies in this case as with supermarket access roads and car parks. Though not part of the public highway the rules still apply.

Morning all from Estuary-Land. A quick hello before going out to Southend. I wish I was going to Aylesbury too but fighting my way around the M25 in bank holiday traffic is not my idea of fun. Thats it for now, be back later.

Goodnight all.

He's their No. 1 driver!

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Not done much today, sketched out a few ideas for the young mans layout for his selection and approval tomorrow. All of course have the requisite tunnel and a couple of sidings. The lad himself is education special needs so although he is eleven years old he is more like seven. However since he started at a special school last September he has come ahead in leaps and bounds. I use a shopping trolley even if I only have a few items to get as my legs are now a bit wobbly. I have a wheeler which I use when visiting shows and swap meets, handy as it also has a seat.

Morning all from Estuary-Land. The same rain mentioned by Tony has stopped here too and now the sun is coming out. Ian, congratulations to Jemma on her promotion. Not a lot else happening today so its be back later.

Automatic creep used to be a problem in the days of drum brakes and when only the more powerful models were deemed suitable to be fitted with automatic gearboxes.

Goodnight all.

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Done some gardening of sorts, cleaned the moss and weeds out of the paving bricks of the front path using the prong/wire brush on the end of a broomstick device. Also removed some poppy seedlings that had also invaded the path. A few poppy plants appeared in my garden a few years ago now they are everywhere. I have been informed of an old car rally at Southend on Sunday so I will almost certainly be going there, though I expect the A127 to be busy.

Why not write to them and suggest the same?

Morning all from Estuary-Land. I'm in two minds about brambles and ivy. Despite their invasive tendencies they are both very good at soaking up pollution, especially ivy. I've mentioned the brambles already and will be doing battle with them this weekend and a few other weekends over the coming year. The Ivy I prefer to leave alone as it is in two places well away from the house and where it can cause little damage. One patch is midway down the garden hiding an ugly concrete fence post, its actually rooted in next doors garden and that side of the garden is where the 'mini forest' of shrubs grow. The other ivy patch is by the side entrance and attaches itself to the 2 metre high brick wall that surrounds my property on that side. Apart from soaking up pollution like a sponge it also hides the access to the property from view. The brick wall it clings to is only about four feet long with a buttress at each end and should be able to withstand the ivy.

As I paged down I thought 'Wrong Way' was a street name.

They'd need a bigger venue if Rod Stewart was invited to and agreed to open the next show.

Goodnight all.

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Out tonight to test a few models on the SEERS test track. He should take up model railroading.

Morning all from Estuary-Land. The bin wagons dawn chorus has been and gone and included the lesser spotted glass and bottle. Off now to study the latest edition of Bylines that has only just arrived. Be back later.