spudfan

Anyone remember when CIE distributed parcels around Dublin by horse and cart? I remember the drivers used to sit up front in the open in all weathers. The carts had rubber tyres and usually had a nose bag of feed for the horse dangling underneath. Also the quays used to have horse troughs scattered along the length of the Liffey. I can remember seeing the horse feeding from the nosebag while the driver called at an address with the parcel. Also saw the horses use the horse troughs for a drink. Traffic was nowhere near as heavy on the quays then. There would not be room to pull up on the quays with a horse and cart to let the horse drink in these modern times. The horse used to have a small rain cover on his back and any I saw wore blinkers. One of the buildings on the quays not far from Guinness's used to have a big hand painted advertisement on the brick gable for "Petrie's horse covers." And yes there were frequent splatters of manure along the road. I was told that if a driver returned to the depot with a horse covered in lather or sweat he could be sacked. Things were taken at an easy pace at that time. There was a working blacksmith and forge just outside Temple street hospital. As far as I remember CIE replaced the horses with tractors then the Scammell tractor units with the one front wheel. The Bedfords came then. There was also the urinal along the quays when you went in but your feet were visible underneath the sides which were some inches above the ground on legs. It was like something you see in old time Paris. Anyway just a few thoughts. It would make a nice depot scene. The "A" class and the horse and cart. Ah yes times past...…

Out with the wife shopping today. She held up a belt and said with a straight face, "This one is longer than yours.." Looks like she'll get good mileage out of this.

I was getting dressed this morning and I heard the wife exclaim "Look at the length of that!". It turned out to be my belt she was referring to....

Obviously aimed at ex government ministers on a pension...

Three friends stranded on a deserted island find a magic lamp. Inside it is a genie who agrees to grant each friend one wish. “I want to go home,” says the first friend. The genie grants her wish. “I want to go home, too,” says the second friend. And the genie sends her back home. “I’m lonely,” says the third friend. “I sure wish my friends were back here.”

This was lunch today. The tea didn't stay warm for very long.....

Not enough pixels to capture the wife

If you ever decide to have nudey nookie in front of the fire, ALWAYS make sure the spark guard is in place.

Remember a while back I mentioned that plans for the "A" class and the "121" took a knock owing to the fact that the felt and tiles on the roof will need to be replaced this Summer? Well all is not lost. Talking to the Mrs it seems that if I forgo getting a Velux window installed while the felt and tiles are being replaced that would allow the purchase of an "A" and a "121". All is not lost and it seems every cloud does have a silver lining .

Regarding the "coronavirus" outbreak in China. I wonder if it will get to a point when goods from China will be suspect. People will worry that if someone sneezes on a packet in China and it ends up over here maybe they could contract it. Don't know much about it but it does not take much to get people concerned. I was just thinking of it from our end of things like the IRM stuff and the Paddy Murphy stuff that will come from China. I am sure that the boys at IRM and Paddy are following this with interest. Governments like to be seen to be doing the correct thing and might put a hold on imports from China for optics sake.I suppose it will all come down to knowledge of the incubation period etc. Imagine getting your long awaited 121 or "A" class and finding disposable gloves and a face mask included in the packing.....

Here is the link to schedule for this week on Talking Pictures TV just to give you an idea of there programmes. https://talkingpicturestv.co.uk/schedule/

"The current ranges would seem adequate for things like An Post vans, etc." An Post do not use any electric or Hybrid vehicle for rural deliveries. Dublin between the canals yes .

Sun 26 Jan 20 18:30 BFI: Fully Fitted Freight 1957. Factual. Director: Ralph Keene. The story of the fast freight, 4:48 pm, Bristol-Leeds, vacuum braked throughout. Conveyed in crisp black & white images by veteran cinematographer Ronald Craigen It will be on "Talking Pictures TV." I came across "Talking Pictures TV" by accident on the Free to Air box. There should be enough time between now and Sunday if you want to search for it.

I am afraid to ask. After years of "searching" I have not found anything that serves that purpose.

Body work still looks better than the wife.....And as for the chassis...

Here is some DART news...the DART in Dallas https://www.railwaygazette.com/traction-and-rolling-stock/dart-awards-stadlers-first-us-maintenance-contract/55511.article

It is not quite that simple. It is like insurance companies being obliged to have enough reserves to enable them to cover all claims. Well if I were to cover even half of the claims on my organs I'd need multiples of everyone of them.......

What do you think financed the 071's? Got a letter from a debt collection agency during the week looking for a kidney.

Sitting in the kitchen yesterday evening when something caught my eye...a drip coming through a crack in the ceiling plaster. A quick dash to the attic and there it was. Rain running down one of the roof timbers. Shifted as much insulation as I could and got a basin in place to catch drips. So tomorrow the roof tiles come off and new felt laid in the effected area. The lads said first thing Saturday. Yesterday morning I paid for 1000 litres of road diesel and 1000 litres of heating oil. Ho Ho Ho, it's the season to be jolly etc etc P.S Bang go the "A"s and the 121's...

Warbonnet wrote "We will have a firm delivery date confirmed once all snags and testing is complete. Last thing we want to do is put a substandard loco on the market." Eh, I thought the idea was to give us the most accurate model possible.....

Review of the forth coming Hattons 66. Scroll on down to the Jenny Emily review. https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/133954-class-66-in-oo-gauge-new-announcement/page/47/

Regarding our recent wet and windy weekend. Sitting on the sofa watching TV I told the Mrs how well she was looking and that I had definitely made the correct decision all of those years ago. "I'm not going out for turf", was the response I got. Drat, foiled again.....

Brings back memories. I remember levelling across a bridge in Co. Cork when the staff began to look blurred through the level. Yep you guessed it, there was a train coming. Had to put the level and tripod over my shoulder and run like mad closely followed by the bloke with the staff. Looking back it was like something from a Bugs Bunny cartoon. At the time it was adrenaline pumping to say the least. Ah the late 70's, wonder how I ever survived into the 80's....