TheSignalEngineer

It was bad here all day. Most other sites were working OK. I thought at first that the lack of postings was due to the number of people in transit said event but seems not. Connection dumped me completely a couple of times and managed to lose one post. It reappeared in the editor went to post on something else. Some of my activities have followed a strange pattern. Two years ago this week I got in materials for numerous house and garden jobs needing attention. I found the list last week and had actually managed all but two, both on the nice idea rather than essential column. Unmentionables work started well, numerous items coming off the workbench, but then I seemed to hit a wall. Hey Ho, testing positive has seemed to kick me into action. The 'playroom' is now tidy, tools, materials, reference books all in the correct places and production resumed. I wonder how long that will last when The Management decrees I am no longer a health hazard?

IIRC the only inter regional trains at Ilfracombe were the regular tones from Taunton, one of which returned to Cardiff on summer Saturdays, and about five or six coaches which came in on the Wolverhampton - Minehead / Ilfracombe service on summer Saturdays. The stock for that came off the Wolvewrhampton Cannock Road circuits and stayed at Ilfracombe for the week. Stock was variable, I remember Stanier coaches appearing and one year the Minehead portion used to throw up a rake of Gresleys, still complete with 1930s style LNER carpet in the first class compartments and all of the original pictures, mirrors, light fittings etc. It was like an Agatha Christie time capsule and had probably been cascaded of the Eastern Region after being displaced by new Mk1 stock The regular Taunton trains could throw up a variety of stock from almost anywhere by 1960

39-451 LMS 57FT PORTHOLE COACH CORRIDOR SECOND BR MAROON is possibly the one.

There was definitely a subtle difference between Park Royal and Dublin Guinness. Our son met his partner when they were in the same department at uni. She was from a rural part of Northern Ireland so Dublin was a convenient place to meet up during long holidays. My first taste of the genuine article was when he was a post-grad student in London. He had gone over to see Pam then came back to Birmingham. He had brought a large pack back with him. I had a couple of tins of the Park Royal brew in the cupboard so he suggested a blind taste test, to be repeated three times at ten minute intervals. I went 3 out of 3 for the Dublin brew.

Are those the sort of people who slow my internet by trying to sell me Dysons

Likewise. I was hoping to do Ally Pally this year, haven't ventured to London for ages and last intended trip was pulled during the start of the pandemic. Hopefully I will OK for Macclesfield next week as there is also a KettleEx presenting photo opportunities scheduled in the area.

Not a good night sleep. As some may notice I have been telling stories at strange hours like 4am. Only slight symptoms of the Covid lurgi, but it seems to have been messing with my body clock. A coughing bout yesterday left me sore round the ribs. Yesterday evening I fell asleep at 8pm and was then raring to go at 11. Not wanting to waste waking hours I adjourned next door to continue with the wagon sort. Why do I need over 200. Several have been earmarked for the double inglenook style factory yard and canal basin being planned with young Master T. I'm sure a couple of small propellant devices can also be liberated to bring the scene to life. After that session it looks as if the sale box could be quite full following recovery.

Pour the cold water on them instead? There was a tale about that involving my Dad's fire crew in the Teddy boy era. They were great blokes but hard as nails when need be. All had seen active service at the sharp end mainly Normandy, one had been on Atlantic convoy escort, and after Europe Dad was attached to the Indian Army trying to police the civil unrest there. They had been called to a street bonfire which had got out of control, set fire to the road tar and was at risk of setting fire to a row of slum houses. The crew were attacked by a large gang. Mistake. Never argue with an ex-Redcap holding a fire hose. One down, rest of gang all running to avoid being victim no.2. Game over!

At the risk of collecting an awl in a tender spot I just had to post this for @polybear https://news.railbusinessdaily.com/gb-railfreight-name-new-locomotive-to-celebrate-major-bescot-ldc-upgrade/#

Big man, big ____ Little man, all ____ Add your own choice of word to fit any situatiin.

Good job the side panel of the bunker extended well along the cab otherwise the numbers might not fit

With one of my mates from the youth club we were passing the church and associated houses one day. The new young curate was in his garden clearing out some old shrubs. After a few minutes of conversation he said "Must go now, I have to get my root up before lunch". We had to try to keep a straight face until we were out of sight,

I didn't think the 'Stun' had any of those

I'm pretty sure our daughter appeared for Liverpool in that one year. She definitely got her colours for at least two sports there. @chrisf Don't forget to include a trip out to Soller on the shiny metal and the tram down to the port when you are in Mallorca. Definitely worth it for the views and the heritage technology Moving on to the talk about Crufts this week, it reminded me of the incident seven(?) years ago when one of the entrants didn't make it home. This was the front page of one of the Red Tops next day. Anyway, the site is annoying me at the moment so I will depart to the adjacent playroom to do some muddling

I think that besides its position on top of the tunnel mouth two other factors worked against the Snow Hill hotel. After the Bicester line opened in 1910 the GWR and LNWR came to an agreement over sharing the Birmingham traffic with both running two-hour expresses. Besides that the Grand was about 100 yards along Colmore Row, while New Street had the Queen's adjacent and the Midland directly opposite its main entrance.

Covid isolation in the North West Wing has given me the opportunity to sort out all unfinished projects. Stock of small spare parts, wheels etc has been filed in the partitioned boxes. Larger parts are in plastic containers formerly containing soft cheese and the like. Checking the kit stash and donors has already turned up a couple of things overtaken by various multicoloured box providers so they can go for sale.

Seven years today since Dad died. I will be raising a glass of one of his favourite malts shortly.

At that time it was probably better not to go there.

Bu%%eration. After a good week of near normality last week, including three bike rides and a trip out on the shiny metal, a bit of a headache when I went to bed last night. Still there this morning so did a testy thing and two lines appeared. Until further notice all communication will come from House Arrest the isolation unit, AKA the spare bedroom, where my laptop is being set up. There is one silver lining however. It has en-suite facilities shared by the Railway room. Currently that contains two folding crates of kits, detailing parts and RTR donors. Don't think I will be twidding my thumbs, just got to avoid doing a GDB with the craft knife.

This is an artist's impression of the 1939 proposal for Snow Hill Hotel https://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrbsh1645.htm

The original hotel at Snow Hill waa built in 1863 and altered during the 1871 station reconstruction. I don't know when it was converted to offices. Its main problem as a hotel was being built on a steel framework over a 1 in 45 gradient used by heavy freight trains. Smoke from the tunnel drifted up the back wall for most of the day and night. The roof was badly damaged by an air raid but later repaired. It was finally demolished at the end of 1969. The GWR announced that it was to build a new luxury hotel at the station in 1939. Unfortunately Hitler decided to invade Poland a few weeks later and that was the beginning of the end for Snow Hill old station Extract from Great Western Magazine Vol. 51. No 4 New Great Western Hotel for Birmingham., April 1939 The announcement that the Great Western Railway is to build a modern hotel at Birmingham (Snow Hill) station is yet another instance of the Company’s desire to provide the very best facilities for its travellers and the cities and towns it serves. The hotel is to be constructed on the site of the building now used as divisional offices and restaurant, and will have frontages in Colmore Row, Snow Hill, and Livery Street. The building is to be a six-floored, steel framed structure and will be faced with natural Portland stone. The facilities are to be of the most up-to-date nature and will meet a long-felt want in the City of Birmingham. The ground floor will comprise reception offices, hall, lounge, cocktail bar and cloak rooms; and the existing bar and grill room are to be improved. The first floor will be devoted mainly to public rooms, and will include a dining room with accommodation for 150 dinners, a spacious lounge and a smoke-room. In addition, there will be three private meeting rooms (which can be converted into a single dining-room with seats for 160 people), and display and stock rooms in which business houses can entertain their customers and hold trade shows. The first floor will also accommodate the kitchens. The remaining five floors of the new hotel will contain the bedrooms, numbering in all 28 double rooms and 142 single – each with a bathroom and lavatory. There will also be a private suite on each of these floors. Central heating, and air-conditioning of the main public rooms, will add to the comfort of patrons, and fire-proof floors will conduce to their safety. The main hotel entrance will be in Colmore Row, and there will be direct access to the booking hall forecourt on the station. New divisional offices and accommodation for the hotel and refreshment rooms staff will complete the rebuilding scheme. Work is to start this year and, when completed, will convert Snow Hill station into one of the most imposing railway structures in the provinces.

The standard on the LMR when steam was still about was that the signal should be replaced by the first wheel hitting the track circuit 150 feet past it. Once steam had all gone the standard was changed to the first suitable joint between 5 feet and 65 feet beyond the signal. Of course there were instances where the colour light was a Block Section Starting Signal, in which case there wasn't always a track circuit beyond it. In this instance the signal would be 'Last Wheel' replaced by the berth track circuit going clear after it had been occupied by the train. Last wheel replacement was also used where banking was authorised and in circumstances where a train could be propelled past it during shunting. Other special controls were applied where permissive working was permitted e.g. stations like Birmingham New Street where platform signals were replaced by Last Wheel or by the second track circuit past the signal becoming occupied. This was to protect against the driver of the second train following the preceding train past the signal because it was held off by his train being on the berth track circuit when the first train left. In areas with colour lights and full track circuiting replacing the signal as soon as the points were held by track circuit operated route locking until the train had passed over them the actual point of replacement didn't matter.

Saw 66721 on the Hams Hall empties this afternoon. As I walked down through the park at Marple it was just coming out of the North tunnel

Just being a grumpy old man, old enough to remember when I used to catch the first morning train from Birmingham to Euston and the restaurant car staff did at seat service of coffee in steerage after they had done the first class breakfasts. Fresh brewed coffee from tall pots, proper cups and saucers as well.

not listed on Accurascale site now.