TheSignalEngineer

There was one at Banbury until at least 1978 or 79. The paintwork was largely mottled but it looked as if it ha been done in BR grey at some time.

Sounds like our favourite local W!ll!€ Waver. Bought a house that used to be owned by a guy who manufactured kitchen, bathroom and bedroom fitted furniture. He had stripped out the builder's basic carp and refitted the lot with the top gear from his own range, installed by the factory staff. New owner stripped it all out and refitted with his own home-made stuff. His wife used the local gym. He converted half of the detached double garage to a gym but his wife still went to the one down the road to get out of his way. During lockdown 1 he would mess with a motorbike on his drive gor hours on end, frequently just running the engine to the annoyance of everyone around. He bought a hot tub for the garden, not really appropriate for outdoors in tbe Dark Peak. When it arrived tbe fitters couldn't get it through because in building the gym he had built a connecting link between the house and garage so he had to hire a 100ft telescopic crane to lift it over the top of the garage. Now he's wondering why it's the only house at our end of town that hasn't sold. Maybe because he is asking about 20% over-par for the area. He had someone interested at the start but they pulled out as soon as their surveyor visited it.

It just mirrors the professional game as with football. To my mind it started to get really bad with big money TV deals and agents hawking their clients to the highest bidder regardless of whether it was a good career move. I gave up serious football watching just after tthe Premier League started as I felt its spirit was being destroyed by those who just treated it as a commodity to be bought and sold with the hope of making money (very unlikely) or a personal vanity project funded by others. When I was a weekly attender at matches we knew many of the players personally. My sister ran a fan club for one of them. It was much the same with cricket. One player who went on to become England captain had a flat just along the road from us.

They did get told by our umpire, that was why their team manager took them off and told them to cool it. The big problem is that the local county board still regards cricket as a gentlemanly game and doesn't use external umpires for junior competitions. They need dragging into the real world. It was a pity as we haven't seen a lot of bad behaviour from the kids, nothing like football where teams are struggling for players because of it. We had just one incident involving parents from a visiting cricket team getting a bit heated. When we played there we anticipated a repeat so rounded up about 30 supporters. No problems that night. Wearing a high viz top and body camera can work wonders in such situations.

Sam was a bit deflated tonight. The team lost. He was last man out 10 runs short of the target with 17 balls still left caught of a lifter from a lad who has played in the county U13 team and one of the club adult teams. Having said that we were appalled by the behaviour of the opposition. It started with intimidation with abusive and foul language. They were aggressive towards our umpire and after 5 overs it got so bad that their team manager took them off to read the riot act. That calmed it down for a while but a few overs later he had to do it again. It wasn't helped by their umpire giving one of our team out LBW. He's a left hander and was hit on the thigh pad by a lad bowling right arm over the wicket. It pitched outside leg stump. The poor lad came off totally bemused by the decision. I just hope they will learn from it and come back stronger. I think that when a competition gets to this stage the county board needs to have proper umpires, after all, the outcome of the U13 championship depended on the results tonight. That's the last competitive match for either of them this season, although they have a few friendlies lined up. In the u11 league playing on pairs rules Sam was ranked 3rd for bowling and Thomas 4th despite only being just 9. Sam was 4th highest run scorer. Thomas has confused the stats machine by playing six times and not being dismissed

Next instalment of the cricket. On Sunday I was on grandad duty helping out when extra hands were needed due to a clash of fixtures. Young Thomas was playing up an age group in the U11 team. The opposition started well but then Thomas came on to bowl and took a hat-trick, all clean bowled. That was effectively match over as the opponents never recovered their momentum. Meanwhile Sam had been called up for the U13 at his main club who were short and playing in the county-wide group for the top teams in the local area groups. He didn't get to bat but bowled two overs taking three wickets for 8 runs. The team ended up with a resounding win. On Monday morning there was a message to ask if he was available that evening as they were short for a top of the table clash that evening. He was uncertain about it but decided to go. He didn't bat again, his team were a few runs short of a good total and the opposition got off to a good start. Sam put the brakes on in the middle of the innings taking a wicket and only conceding two singles in two overs. With three overs to go the opposition needed just 17 runs and six wickets standing the captain threw the ball to Sam. The over started dot ball, run out, clean bowled first ball. When the last over came they needed seven to win from six balls. On the first five balls only two singles were conceded and the opposition had got themselves into two run outs going for quick singles, so four to tie or five to win from the last ball with left handed number 11 facing his first ball. Sam said something to the keeper, went round the wicket and let go a fast yorker just missing off stump. The batsman's wild swing missed completely and the keeper made a clean take. Sam was given a standing ovation off the field including by some senior members who had abandoned the bar when they heard a close finish was anticipated. After the game he was presented with the match ball which is now proudly displayed with the match report in his room.

It seems now that a powered device must be used for all jobs, making as much noise as possible. I was woken this morning by council contractors strimming the long grass on the verges of a nearby road. As I'm about a week behind here comes the update. Firstly Anne's tennis match last week resulted in a crushing victory over a team they didn't expect to win against. That means they are now safely above the relegation zone in their division. They don't want promotion as that would put them in the Premier division which would mean playing a lot of people who are full time coaches and players. Next up was a cricket friendly at one of the clubs used by the grandsons It was for members of the current U11 squad who are moving up next year played a nearby U13 team on the rules of the higher age group. They did really well, taking the result in doubt down to a controversial last over. Sammy kept wicket after he had bowled. The opposition's best batsman came in with 7 balls to go. With three runs needed and three balls left balls left he backed up and called for a quick single to get on strike. The other batsman missed the ball, Sam picked it up and scored a direct hit on the stumps. The opposition umpire was at square leg and gave not out. The batsman hit the next ball to the boundary to win with one ball left. At the time we were taking some pictures and video on the boundary with the match in the background. When I ran the clip through afterwards there was a frame with the bails in the air, bat not grounded and the batsman's leading foot two yards from the crease. Th give them credit the boys didn't argue but now know they probably should have won. Speaking to another team the person who was umpiring has got previous in this regard and was subject of a complaint from one team for his interference and bad decisions in a league match.

The sun sinks slowly on Pakistan's hopes of a series win against England. Actually the setting sun lined up exactly through two windows of the building and the seat I was sitting in. A bit like the legend of Box Tunnel and Brunel's birthday. I think we have gone about 23 pages since my last post, I did try one but for some reason it didn't seem to have worked. Lots of grandad duty this week and exciting cricket including a hat trick in the U11s and match winning death bowling in the u13s. Will try to do a full report tomorrow, although there is another match which could decide the U13 championship for their home county. May be another tense night.

This thread has had more direction changes than a game of Mornington Crescent.

I was thinking earlier that this thread may have reached new heights for going off-topic on RMweb. When I read some comments last night I thought I was in the Bridge Bash thread. Incidentally, the comments on here have already been discussed by others on that thread.

The protection beam at Chinley seems to be quite effective by the look of the marks on it. These are just a few. It's slightly lower than the brickwork on this side because there is less clearance above the road at the other side of the line.

Hi Clive, I had about six of the Replica / Bachmann ones running but decided that I would like the TK which was never done. Then I though it would be nice to have a BCK as a through coach to attach to a local train. I decided to stick at that because I wanted to do some stock for excursions. I've done most of what I want LMS-wise although I do have a couple of sets of P3 six-bay Open Third etches which may get put onto suitable donors. My next job will probably be one of the 60ft BCK rebuilds which had P3-style steel sides added to P1 coaches. After that I have two sets of Gresley Teak BTO etches awaiting suitable donors for the ER excursion to Dudley Zoo hauled either by my B1 or Brush Type 2 Eric

Like the one in my Chop Shop thread, third item down, link is in my signature but can't get actual item to post in here on my phone. May try again tomorrow.

There are instances in this working from the 1952 Worcester district carriage notices There was still a through coach from Paddington to Stratford which was put onto a single car at Leamington in 1960, but it was probably a Class 122 by then.

Three instances I have seen in photos included a 70ft Auto Coach, not available RTR, a non-corridor Brake Composite similar to the Hornby B Set and a Collett corridor coach which IIRC was either a TK or BTK as on the later model from Hornby.

From the London Midland Region Carriage Working Notices for 1958

Actually only three in the picture, the line across the roof in the first one is the shadow of the signal gantry. The rest of the train is still in Suffolk Street Tunnel. Looking at the loco and the shadows the prime suspect is the 10.30am Bristol - Newcastle. This was made up of MK1 stock with the exception of the third coach which was an LMS Period 2 Restaurant Car. This is the last vehicle visible. The train was 10 coaches on Monday to Thursday and ii on Friday and Saturday. The formation was BSK/FK/RC/SO/5xSK/BSK, increased to 6xSK on Friday and Saturday. As one of the principal trains on the route it was among the first to get all maroon Mk1 stock.

https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brplate/h125eca2a

@Mallard60022 Phil, I have just been looking at the Irwell Press book on the North Cornwall and there is a picture of the Up afternoon goods from Wadebridge arriving at Ashwater in the 1960s hauled by 31845. In the middle of the train there are three tanks, one of which looks like the smaller barrel as in the Oxford model. Unfortunately the angle doesn't allow the livery to be seen. Eric

Thanks, I didn't know there were two but had seen SMBP, National and Esso tanks in pictures of the area.

Sounds a bit like the privatised railway.

Perhaps the yobs should try that (bear kicking) instead of following a windbag. A bear may be quite effective at dealing with them if riled.

My old workplaces have suffered various fates. I think three are still in railway use and two others are still office blocks. Two are apartments and at least two demolished. One is under a scrapyard and the other is the site of a supermarket car park. We had an interesting experience on our last visit to Birmingham when we sat drinking coffee on the spot in a former banking hall where Mrs SE had her desk when working as a personal banker.

So that's got the windbag kickers out of the way for a while, no doubt we will now have several days of inquests on how England got their tactics wrong. All I can say is that you can't defend a 1-0 lead for 88 minutes plus stoppage time. I spent a bit of time watching the tennis over the weekend. It was nice to see a few new faces progressing in the men's game. I will get the full analysis of the outcome from Mrs SE as she is much better at the game than me. She still plays at a high level in local leagues having got as far as playing County Veterans matches in the past. Her main claim to fame is having won the same club competitions as Ann Jones and Jeremy Bates. She has also played in matches with and against some others who have taken part in major tournaments and Davis Cup.

Worst car I had for getting dirty was called something like Storm Grey. Showed every bit of dirt. My present car is silver which doesn't need washing very often. The best car I ever used for not showing the dirt was a Ford Escort which I had when a BR Signalling Works Engineer. It came in a sort of Brake Dust Beige. You could drive it on dirt roads for a fortnight and I still didn't look any worse than when freshly washed.