Posts

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Name a Train

Looks like one of the train operating companies is to name a locomotive with a Scouting name.
Naming a locomotive with a Scouting related name is not a new idea.

In the 1930's the London Midland and Scottish Railway named one of it's Royal Scot locomotives, number 6169, The Boy Scout. They also named one, number 6168, The Girl Guide.
In the 1950's British Railways named a Britannia class locomotive, number 70045, after the then current Chief Scout, Lord Rowallen.
I'm interested to know which TOC it is. How about 'The Scout'?
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Whinging Teachers

Oh dear the NUT are banging on about their ‘poor’ pay again. They are looking at strike action again as their proposed pay rise is to be about 2%.
Oh dear, us poor support staff are to get the same rise and does anyone care? Nope! The poor dears aren’t underpaid anyway. The thing they can’t get in their little heads is that schools can’t function without non teaching staff (teaching assistants, support assistants, technical support, caretakers, cleaners etc.), just as they can’t function without teaching staff.

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We’ve Never Had It So Good

Today as I sit in my office, drinking my tea, waiting for a teacher to come in and tell me that their whiteboard isn’t working because they’ve put the USB plug in the network socket, I think how lucky I am.

On this day in 1918, my great grandfather, William Edgar Wood, was crouching by a wall in France when he was blown to bits by an artillery shell. He was the same age as I am now – 35. He has no known grave, but is commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission online and in the cemetery in Pozieres , in St. Georges Church in Newcastle and Stoke Station.

He died the day before his son’s, my Grandpa’s, 5th birthday – not nice.

So despite life’s annoyances, I guess things are not too bad…..

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Good Weekend

Just had a great weekend in London. I went to The London Festival of Railway Modelling exhibition at Alexandra Palace with my Dad and uncle. Got lots of goodies for my birthday 😉

Carol and I had a wander round and went on a ‘proper’ London Transport bus – an RM!

A good weekend!

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Sky TV

Well, herself has finally got Sky TV in the house! The installers came on Sunday, didn’t ring beforehand, like they were supposed to, and didn’t install an extra phone point. They just left a long extension cable – so helpful!
Anyway, time will tell if it’s any good!
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What Is the Country Coming To?

Labour seem to want to upset as many people as possible at the moment. Be it at a national level or local.
The Government have decided to give pay rises to nurses etc. lower than the rate of inflation! Makes me wonder how bad my pay ‘rise’ is going to be in April. You can bet that MPs award themselves a hefty pay rise!
The County Council have raised their Council Tax by over the rate of inflation, but Newcastle Borough Council have managed not to. Having said that, the Labour Councillors are saying that’s because they were in power last year! This came from my County Councillor who is also a neighbouring Borough Councillor. One of the other Labour lot said that if they’d still been in power, they would have had a lower increase, but declined to say what it would have been. This is the lot who increased the Council Tax by nearly twice the rate of inflation last year!

They still have it in their arrogant little heads that they should rule by divine right! Fools, they’re as useful as a chocolate teapot! 😉

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Settle & Carlisle

I'm quite surprised that Virgin are replacing trains between Preston and Carlisle by buses and not by diverting the trains by the S & C .
Although it would take a bit longer, it would be better than having to heard people onto a bus. I guess it has something to do with not having enough locos available – privatisation what a good idea!
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Crash

Oh dear. A train has come off the rails and turned over in Cumbria tonight. So far, it look like there are no fatalities. If this continues to be the case, this is good news. We will have to wait and see.

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WHY?

Not content to be classed as being one of the worst places in the country to live, having the worst council and having one of the most incompetent county councils, now the Staffordshire Ambulance Service is to merge with the West Midlands one.
The thing is, our ambulance service is the best in the country and West Midlands, put simply – isn’t! So we get the short end of the straw – again…………
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County Closes Homes

The County Council’s Cabinet have decided to close the County’s old peoples homes, despite huge protests from the ‘people’!
Typical arrogant behaviour from the Cabinet as usual. I suppose they had to climb down over the job evaluation so they have to push one thing through!
Their motto at the moment is ‘Changing People’s Lives’. I think they mean ‘Ruining Peoples Lives’!
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London, England

I find it very amusing during American film or TV series, that whenever they show a new city, they always caption the city's name and state e.g. Los Angeles, CA.
However, when somewhere outside the USA is mentioned, the caption is 'London, England' followed by pictures of Big Ben, Tower Bridge etc. Now I know most Americans don't know much about the outside world, but you'd have to be fairly thick to assume that London referred to London, Ontario (that's Canada!) or London, Minnesota!
But I guess Hollywood has to make things as idiot proof as possible!
When Carol and I were in Canada, they showed foreign news on the TV. They made a point of showing the Special Olympics which were on at the time. In America, the only foreign news was Iraq and sod all about the Special Olympics. Says a lot really!
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Snow & School Closing

Well there is a light falling of snow today and schools are closing left right and centre! Except mine. There would have to be a small nuclear explosion before we’d close!
To be fair, it’s not too bad today, so I wouldn’t expect us to close. However, there are a lot of schools that have closed and there is no real reason. Some schools near to where I live are closed. Now it’s not very hilly or particularly exposed round our way so why these schools have closed goodness only knows why!
Probably scared to get sued if little Johnny gets a bit cold 😉