On 19/02/2024 11:59, John Williamson wrote:
> Oops, finger trouble, trying again.
>
> I heard that it was some of Beeching's personal friends that owned the
> road builders.
>
> On 19/02/2024 11:30, Brian Gaff wrote:
>> It does make you wonder if the Beeching remit was, as
>> has been mooted to deliberately run down the railways in order to make
>> large
>> road projects more likely to be built as members of the Government had
>> shares in the companies building them.
>>
I have always understood that Marples (Transport minister?) was the
problem? ISTR that he allegedly left the country with a large sack of
dosh and was never seen again?

Chris

On 2024-02-18, Tim+ <timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay> wrote:
> Richard Robinson <richard@qualmograph.org.uk> wrote:
>> Kerr-Mudd, John said:
>>>
>>> Never mind all that, what I want to know is: Are there buttered scones
>>> for tea?
>>
>> It depends on whether you got to the shops & back. And then whether you
>> CBA to butter them.
>>
>>
>
> Heresy! What kind of animal would eat a scone without butter??
>
> Tim
>
Someone with jam and cream? The order I leave up to you depending on
your county of choice.

--
Simon

RLU: 222126

On Mon, 19 Feb 2024 11:47:23 -0000
"Brian Gaff" <brian1gaff@gmail.com> wrote:

> And is there Honey still for tea? Honey's off dear.
> Brian
>

Darn it, you're right; Is that the time?

> --
>
> --:
> This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
> The Sofa of Brian Gaff...
> briang1@blueyonder.co.uk
> Blind user, so no pictures please
> Note this Signature is meaningless.!
> "Tim+" <timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay> wrote in message
> news:1081257410.729977040.890489.timdownieuk-yahoo.co.youkay@news.individual.net...
> > Richard Robinson <richard@qualmograph.org.uk> wrote:
> >> Kerr-Mudd, John said:
> >>>
> >>> Never mind all that, what I want to know is: Are there buttered scones
> >>> for tea?
> >>
> >> It depends on whether you got to the shops & back. And then whether you
> >> CBA to butter them.
> >>
> >>
> >
> > Heresy! What kind of animal would eat a scone without butter??
> >
> > Tim
> >
> > --
> > Please don't feed the trolls
>
>

--
Bah, and indeed Humbug.

In article <uqt4ak$169df$1@dont-email.me>, Chris Elvidge
<chris@mshome.net> on Sun, 18 Feb 2024 at 14:30:43 awoke Nicholas from
his slumbers and wrote
>On 17/02/2024 17:31, Nicholas D. Richards wrote:
>> In article <l3bmnkF1krtU1@mid.individual.net>, chrisnd@privacy.net
>> <chrisnd@privacy.net> on Sat, 17 Feb 2024 at 12:22:12 awoke Nicholas
>> from his slumbers and wrote
>>> On 16/02/2024 22:52, James Heaton wrote:
>>>> On 16/02/2024 16:06, Nicholas D. Richards wrote:
>>>>> In article <1qp105z.1vs642y5dp3r5N%snipeco.2@gmail.com>, Sn!pe
>>>>> <snipeco.2@gmail.com> on Fri, 16 Feb 2024 at 15:05:59 awoke Nicholas
>>>>> from his slumbers and wrote
>>>>>> Nicholas D. Richards <nicholas@salmiron.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Hymermut <tone@email.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>> On 15/02/2024 18:43, Sam Plusnet wrote:
>>>>>>>>> On 15-Feb-24 2:31, Sn!pe wrote:
>>>>>> [...]
>>>>>>>>>> My mum took me to see Tommy the Toreador
>>>>>>>>>> at the Odeon pictures when I was ~10 y.o.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> We must be (more or less) con temporaries.
>>>>>>>>> I was just shy of my tenth birthday when the song came out.
>>>>>>>>> I assume that was at much the same time as the filum.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I go back to 'Rock With The Cavemen' !
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Last Train to San Fernando.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> # Last train to San Fernando, last train to San Fernando
>>>>>> # If you miss this one, you'll never get another one
>>>>>> # Bee-dee-dee-dee-bom-bom to San Fernando.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [sigh]
>>>>>>
>>>>> I was only nine and we, (my first bestest friend - Stuart Maxwell by
>>>>> name) used to listen to it, over and over again. Friendship ended, as
>>>>> his parents sent him away to boarding school.
>>>>
>>>> Preferred 'last train to Glasgow Central' myself...
>>>
>>> Ok, I'll raise you: "Last Train To Clarksville"...*
>>>
>>> Chris
>>>
>>> *Beeching really did swing his axe widely didn't he?
>>>
>>>
>> But the last train still passes through Addlestrop. It never stops, at
>> the now non-existent platform.
>>
>
>Yes, I remember Adlestrop, the name ....
>
>
It was my father's favourite pome. Comes in my eight desert island
pomes.

One hot summer afternoon I visited Adlestrop, because of the pome.
Inside the village bus stop was the a bench seat from the station
waiting room and the platform 'Adlestrop' sign.

Somewhere or other I read that it had been nicked and a replacement
made.

"Not guilty Guv", and I am sticking to that.
--
0sterc@tcher -

"Où sont les neiges d'antan?"

In article <l3gu56FthltU2@mid.individual.net>, John Williamson
<johnwilliamson@btinternet.com> on Mon, 19 Feb 2024 at 11:59:34 awoke
Nicholas from his slumbers and wrote
>Oops, finger trouble, trying again.
>
>I heard that it was some of Beeching's personal friends that owned the
>road builders.

I do not know about Dr. Beeching, he was a long term employee of ICI on
secondment.

The Minister of Transport who oversaw the great expansion in major
roadways and motorways was one Ernest Marples. He was an 80% majority
shareholder in Marples Ridgeway, a major Civil Engineering company with
fists in the roads expansion programme. Although he was supposed to
divest himself of all interests in Marples Ridgeway he went through all
sorts of chicanery to ensure that he could buy back his shares at the
price he sold them.

Marples was odious; OTOH my view of Beeching was that he was a business
man out of his depth where the railways were concerned. I would not
impute Beeching's motives and believe he was genuinely shocked at the
reaction to his two reports.
>
Top posted!
--
0sterc@tcher -

"Où sont les neiges d'antan?"

In article <l3gvgkFtp89U1@mid.individual.net>, chrisnd@privacy.net
<chrisnd@privacy.net> on Mon, 19 Feb 2024 at 12:22:44 awoke Nicholas
from his slumbers and wrote
>On 19/02/2024 11:59, John Williamson wrote:
>> Oops, finger trouble, trying again.
>>
>> I heard that it was some of Beeching's personal friends that owned the
>> road builders.
>>
>> On 19/02/2024 11:30, Brian Gaff wrote:
>>> It does make you wonder if the Beeching remit was, as
>>> has been mooted to deliberately run down the railways in order to make
>>> large
>>> road projects more likely to be built as members of the Government had
>>> shares in the companies building them.
>>>
>I have always understood that Marples (Transport minister?) was the
>problem? ISTR that he allegedly left the country with a large sack of
>dosh and was never seen again?
>
When the shit threatened to hit the fan he suddenly left the country. He
remained abroad until he had come to an 'arrangement' with the Inland
Revenue.
--
0sterc@tcher -

"Où sont les neiges d'antan?"

>>
> When the shit threatened to hit the fan he suddenly left the country. He
> remained abroad until he had come to an 'arrangement' with the Inland
> Revenue.

Not just the Inland Revenue - he could have been jailed for taking cash
out of the country

In article <uqvmjq$1t5ae$1@dont-email.me>, Abandoned Trolley <fred@fred-
smith.co.uk> on Mon, 19 Feb 2024 at 13:55:07 awoke Nicholas from his
slumbers and wrote
>
>>>
>> When the shit threatened to hit the fan he suddenly left the country. He
>> remained abroad until he had come to an 'arrangement' with the Inland
>> Revenue.
>
>
>Not just the Inland Revenue - he could have been jailed for taking cash
>out of the country

I had forgotten about that, and exchange control was not a very large
amount, £50 and £15 in cash, IIRC. You can take as much as you like
now, but you have to report (to who/whom?) if you wish to take more than
£10,000 in cash.
--
0sterc@tcher -

"Où sont les neiges d'antan?"

>>
>> Not just the Inland Revenue - he could have been jailed for taking cash
>> out of the country
>
> I had forgotten about that, and exchange control was not a very large
> amount, £50 and £15 in cash, IIRC. You can take as much as you like
> now, but you have to report (to who/whom?) if you wish to take more than
> £10,000 in cash.

According to wikipedia ... "In November 1977, he paid £7,600 to the
British government in settlement of his breach of exchange control
regulations" - so I am assuming that he must have exceeded the (£10 ?)
limit by some margin.

I am told that the Great Train Robbery plot started to unravel when one
of the junior gang members was detained at Heathrow airport and arrested
on the spot when he was found to be carrying £18,000 in cash

On 19-Feb-24 11:46, Brian Gaff wrote:
> Off on a tangent, Does anyone recall Balham, Gateway to the South?
>
>
> On that same Parlaphone LP was a track called Party Political Speech. Apart
> from the accent, the words could apply to today.
> IE he never answers the questions he poses but bullshits his way through
> without saying anything at all.
> And let me tell you, I do not consider existing conditions likely, we must
> build, but build surely, and in conclusion , let me say just this....

Also Eccles counting the votes after the election.

--
Sam Plusnet

In article <ur01rn$1vnk9$1@dont-email.me>, Abandoned Trolley <fred@fred-
smith.co.uk> on Mon, 19 Feb 2024 at 17:07:03 awoke Nicholas from his
slumbers and wrote
>
>>>
>>> Not just the Inland Revenue - he could have been jailed for taking cash
>>> out of the country
>>
>> I had forgotten about that, and exchange control was not a very large
>> amount, £50 and £15 in cash, IIRC. You can take as much as you like
>> now, but you have to report (to who/whom?) if you wish to take more than
>> £10,000 in cash.
>
>
>According to wikipedia ... "In November 1977, he paid £7,600 to the
>British government in settlement of his breach of exchange control
>regulations" - so I am assuming that he must have exceeded the (£10 ?)
>limit by some margin.
>
>I am told that the Great Train Robbery plot started to unravel when one
>of the junior gang members was detained at Heathrow airport and arrested
>on the spot when he was found to be carrying £18,000 in cash
>
I would suggest that the discovery was not accidental. I must go back to
my cousin's definitive book on said robbery. My cousin also made a TV
docudrama program about it.

On that weekend I started a 3 week exchange in France. The father of
the boy who was my exchange partner joshed with me that I was on the run
from les flics.
--
0sterc@tcher -

"Où sont les neiges d'antan?"

h
>>
> I would suggest that the discovery was not accidental. I must go back to
> my cousin's definitive book on said robbery. My cousin also made a TV
> docudrama program about it.
>
> On that weekend I started a 3 week exchange in France. The father of
> the boy who was my exchange partner joshed with me that I was on the run
> from les flics.

"docudrama" = fact ?

I believe that the Exchange Control Act of 1948 was still in force up to
1979, (long after we had joined the EEC) when the incoming Tory
government dispensed with it.

At the time the Thatcher woman explained it away by saying that it had
outlived its usefulness and would allow foreign investment in the country.

To me that sounds like "ThatcherSpeak" for "everything is for sale"

In that context, I don’t suppose the circumstances surrounding the
arrest of an armed robber are of much importance

In article <ur1q2k$2e0v3$1@dont-email.me>, Abandoned Trolley <fred@fred-
smith.co.uk> on Tue, 20 Feb 2024 at 09:06:28 awoke Nicholas from his
slumbers and wrote
>h
>>>
>> I would suggest that the discovery was not accidental. I must go back to
>> my cousin's definitive book on said robbery. My cousin also made a TV
>> docudrama program about it.
>>
>> On that weekend I started a 3 week exchange in France. The father of
>> the boy who was my exchange partner joshed with me that I was on the run
>> from les flics.
>
>
>"docudrama" = fact ?
>
>I believe that the Exchange Control Act of 1948 was still in force up to
>1979, (long after we had joined the EEC) when the incoming Tory
>government dispensed with it.
>
>At the time the Thatcher woman explained it away by saying that it had
>outlived its usefulness and would allow foreign investment in the country.
>
>To me that sounds like "ThatcherSpeak" for "everything is for sale"
>
>In that context, I don’t suppose the circumstances surrounding the
>arrest of an armed robber are of much importance
>
1963 (Macmillan/Home) and 1979 (Gungpure - spit) were very different
times. If you were around in 1963 you would be aware that the
establishment reacted as if they had been existentially affronted. East
End gangsters falling out, so what, especially when many in the
establishment were having their peccadilloes catered for by those self
same gangsters (see Lord(!) Boothby). East End gangsters rob, very
publicly, the establishment and the book is thrown at them. A belted
earl murders his children's nanny (by mistake) and he is helped to
escape ("Well, she was only the nanny").
--
0sterc@tcher -

"Où sont les neiges d'antan?"

Sam Plusnet said:
> On 19-Feb-24 11:46, Brian Gaff wrote:
>> Off on a tangent, Does anyone recall Balham, Gateway to the South?
>>
>>
>> On that same Parlaphone LP was a track called Party Political Speech. Apart
>> from the accent, the words could apply to today.
>> IE he never answers the questions he poses but bullshits his way through
>> without saying anything at all.
>> And let me tell you, I do not consider existing conditions likely, we must
>> build, but build surely, and in conclusion , let me say just this....
>
> Also Eccles counting the votes after the election.

"The brains behind the Windscale disaster".

--
Richard Robinson
"The whole plan hinged upon the natural curiosity of potatoes" - S. Lem

My email address is at http://qualmograph.org.uk/contact.html

On 14/02/2024 15:22, Kerr-Mudd, John wrote:
> On Wed, 14 Feb 2024 00:26:39 +0000
> Mike Fleming <mike@tauzero.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> On 13/02/2024 18:23, Jim the Geordie wrote:
>>> The location of this place came to me quite unexpected-ly
>>> There's a tiny house there - by a tiny stream
>>> If I told you any more then you would know.
>>>
>>> Memory only!
>>> NO GOOGLING!
>>>
>>> Why that popped out of my memory, I have no idea.
>>
>> Was that where a lovely lass had a lovely dream, which came true quite
>> unexpectedly? I have some vague recall of a shilly shilly dum de dum de
>> dum by the seeeeeeaa. I don't think I've heard it since watching
>> Crackerjack [16:55] one Christmas in the mid-60s, so that's probably
>> wildly inaccurate.
>>
>> [16:55] CRACKERJACK!
>
> I wanna Pencil. ANNA Blue Peter Badge. Gimme.

I once had a Blue Peter badge (can't remember what for, probably writing
in to them) which fell off my jumper somewhere by the rugby field at the
Old Edwardians ground in Solihull.

On 14/02/2024 21:32, Richard Robinson wrote:
> Sam Plusnet said:
>>
>> Talking of earworms...
>>
>> I have this bad habit of whistling 'tunes' when in certain rooms - it
>> must be the acoustics.
>>
>> I should have said the tunes whistle me - since I don't do it
>> consciously - and if I try to stop it starts up again a few seconds later.
>>
>> Yesterday I wandered from the kitchen into the storeroom whistling Tommy
>> Steel's "Little White Bull". I came out a couple of seconds later,
>> whistling some of the more interesting bits of the 1812 Overture.
>>
>> Quite how one morphed into the other I cannot tell.
>>
>> Is there a cure?
>
> Cork ?

No, it's not illegal to whistle in Ireland.

On 15/02/2024 12:12, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
> On Thu, 15 Feb 2024 10:38:34 -0000
> "Brian Gaff" <brian1gaff@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> If Helen Reddy were still alive and had just recorded Angy baby would it
>> have been as much of a hit as it was?
>
> Dunno but it goes down well at the open mic night when I play it.

Hmmm, might try that with SWMBO singing. Probably less ambitious than
"Two out of three ain't bad" that I murdered on Wednesday.

On 15/02/2024 01:45, Sam Plusnet wrote:
> On 15-Feb-24 0:01, Hymermut wrote:
>> On 14/02/2024 20:24, Sam Plusnet wrote:
>> .
>>>
>>> Yesterday I wandered from the kitchen into the storeroom whistling
>>> Tommy Steel's "Little White Bull".
>>
>> Jeez! How old ARE you!
>>
>
> That was 1959 (google tells me), so I was a a worldly wise nine year old.
>

I knew it, and I was only 1.5 at the time.

Mike Fleming wrote:

> I once had a Blue Peter badge

There was an bloke in our local stewed ant pub who molished Blue Peter
badges for the locals ...

On 20/02/2024 18:27, Richard Robinson wrote:
> Sam Plusnet said:
>> On 19-Feb-24 11:46, Brian Gaff wrote:
>>> Off on a tangent, Does anyone recall Balham, Gateway to the South?
>>>
>>>
>>> On that same Parlaphone LP was a track called Party Political Speech. Apart
>>> from the accent, the words could apply to today.
>>> IE he never answers the questions he poses but bullshits his way through
>>> without saying anything at all.
>>> And let me tell you, I do not consider existing conditions likely, we must
>>> build, but build surely, and in conclusion , let me say just this....
>>
>> Also Eccles counting the votes after the election.
>
> "The brains behind the Windscale disaster".

It's been a hard day's night. I've been working like a dog.

and

Rock, rock, all you guys and cats
To the trumpet voluntary roll

On 23-Feb-24 16:20, Mike Fleming wrote:
> On 20/02/2024 18:27, Richard Robinson wrote:
>> Sam Plusnet said:
>>> On 19-Feb-24 11:46, Brian Gaff wrote:
>>>> Off on a tangent, Does anyone recall Balham, Gateway to the South?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>    On that same Parlaphone LP was a track called Party Political
>>>> Speech. Apart
>>>> from the accent, the words could apply to today.
>>>>    IE he never answers the questions he poses but  bullshits his way
>>>> through
>>>> without saying anything at all.
>>>>    And let me tell you, I do not consider existing conditions
>>>> likely, we must
>>>> build, but build surely, and in conclusion , let me say just this....
>>>
>>> Also Eccles counting the votes after the election.
>>
>> "The brains behind the Windscale disaster".
>
> It's been a hard day's night. I've been working like a dog.
>
> and
>
> Rock, rock, all you guys and cats
> To the trumpet voluntary roll

I wonder if that was just after Adam Faith (?) went on "Desert Island
Discs" and asked for a whole lot of (light) classical pieces - including
the Crumpet Involuntary?
I imagine he was working to a script written by his agent or publicist.
Sounded very uncomfortable & stilted.

(Gordon Bennet! The things my memory dredges up!)

--
Sam Plusnet

On 23-Feb-24 16:11, Mike Fleming wrote:
> On 14/02/2024 21:32, Richard Robinson wrote:
>> Sam Plusnet said:
>>>
>>> Talking of earworms...
>>>
>>> I have this bad habit of whistling 'tunes' when in certain rooms - it
>>> must be the acoustics.
>>>
>>> I should have said the tunes whistle me - since I don't do it
>>> consciously - and if I try to stop it starts up again a few seconds
>>> later.
>>>
>>> Yesterday I wandered from the kitchen into the storeroom whistling Tommy
>>> Steel's "Little White Bull".  I came out a couple of seconds later,
>>> whistling some of the more interesting bits of the 1812 Overture.
>>>
>>> Quite how one morphed into the other I cannot tell.
>>>
>>> Is there a cure?
>>
>> Cork ?
>
> No, it's not illegal to whistle in Ireland.

As many a kettle will testify.

--
Sam Plusnet

On Fri, 23 Feb 2024 16:20:18 +0000
Mike Fleming <mike@tauzero.co.uk> wrote:

> On 20/02/2024 18:27, Richard Robinson wrote:
> > Sam Plusnet said:
> >> On 19-Feb-24 11:46, Brian Gaff wrote:
> >>> Off on a tangent, Does anyone recall Balham, Gateway to the South?
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> On that same Parlaphone LP was a track called Party Political Speech. Apart
> >>> from the accent, the words could apply to today.
> >>> IE he never answers the questions he poses but bullshits his way through
> >>> without saying anything at all.
> >>> And let me tell you, I do not consider existing conditions likely, we must
> >>> build, but build surely, and in conclusion , let me say just this....
> >>
> >> Also Eccles counting the votes after the election.
> >
> > "The brains behind the Windscale disaster".
>
> It's been a hard day's night. I've been working like a dog.
>

A classic shakespearean rendition by Peter Sellers.

> and
>
> Rock, rock, all you guys and cats
> To the trumpet voluntary roll

--
Bah, and indeed Humbug.

On Fri, 23 Feb 2024 18:53:12 +0000
Sam Plusnet <not@home.com> wrote:

> On 23-Feb-24 16:11, Mike Fleming wrote:

> > No, it's not illegal to whistle in Ireland.
>
> As many a kettle will testify.
>
Did I hear a cuppa brewing ? Yes please.

--
Steve O'Hara-Smith
Odds and Ends at http://www.sohara.org/
For forms of government let fools contest
Whate're is best administered is best - Alexander Pope