Saturday Variety

 How About A Land Rover?

The first vehicle fbb ever drove was a Series 1 Land Rover. He did not drive it very far. He was staying on a farm at Creaton with school chum Jake. The two lads (aged c. 14/15) were "helping" Jake's dad. The work progressed through a gate and into the next field. Your blogger-to-be was sat in the vehicle waiting to be told what to do next. "Bring her through," said Jake as a joke.

So fbb did. A distance of roughly 30 yards. He missed the gateposts, Jake and Jake's dad!

Oxford Diecast produce diecast models in profusion and a recent blog from "Taff" lists all the different Land Rover (and associated brands) model that the company has made. The total is approximately 230 DIFFERENT Land Rovers for OO scale. Sometimes the difference is just a paint job, but here are six Series 1 models ...

... all with different appendages.

Here is one of the latest models in the range.

It is worth remembering that these little vehicles are around 1.5 inches long in the old money.

By comparison here is a Dublo Dinky from the later 1950s

fbb also remembers the first "proper" Dinky Land Rover (about O gauge size). You can buy one today with poor paintwork and no box for about £18.

One in very good nick with a near perfect box is a bit more pricey!

OUCH!

Later Dinky models were much improved and come a bit cheaper ...

... and Corgi always beat Dinky for details and extra accoutrements.

But for the real Landy enthusiast, how about this one.

It is also from Oxford Diecast and will set you back a modest £99.

But it is to 1:18 scale! (OO is 1:76).

Remember This Tease?

The brand is for McGills service 26, but why "Switch" was the tease. fbb, in super thicko mode, did not twig. 

The 26 is equipped with electric buses.

On Thursday last there was a big launch in Paisley, with buses clustered (incongruously) round the town's war memorial.

This was unveiled in 1926.

There weren't quite as many folk there for the electric bus launch. But there was much rejoicing at the big "switch" on ...

... with the Provost of Renfrewshire ...

... and a gurt big switch!

Let there be lights!

And another tease.

Puzzle Picture 1

Where might you find these characters?

Puzzle Picture 2

What is going on here?

Answers tomorrow!

A Rare Item in Northampton

Alan was shocked the other day and wrote this e-mail.

Alan continues.

No of course it's not Stagecoach.

The leaflet was for UNO operating in Northampton. It included a simple map of the UNO network ...

... and UNO fares. 

Of course, these fares are for students and staff at the Uni.

No details are given of the higher fares charged to ordinary mortals!

It also advertises fares between Northampton Uni and the Rushden Lakes shopping complex.

Note the announced return of Poppy route 17 on 11th October, competing with Stagecoach 1 12, 16 and 88.

On the south side of town, UNO's re-introduced (and re-extended) Poppy 17 ...

... will compete with Stagecoach 12 and 88 to Tesco ...

... and on the eastern side of town will be creaming a few pennies off the 1 (GREEN) and the 16 (BLUE).

Weston Favell Centre is the home of another, and bigger, Tesco hyper store!

fbb would rather like UNO to do well, mainly because Stagecoach have decided not to produce any printed material in a calculated policy to lose passengers. UNO can pick them up instead! And UNO has a nicer livery!

The timetable for the 17 is not yet published.

Amusing Thoughts

The picture is captioned "The Bishop is anxious because the Queen can move in any direction whilst he is restricted to the diagonals"

And this one seems so very possible!

And even this might have happened? Boris asks, "Ma'am, I understand you used to drive lorries in the War?"

 Next Variey blog : Sumday 3rd October