How was your day?

[PeteB]

That's me back home!

Away from the hotel in good order and seeing rail people in the Glasgow area! One chap is busy dealing with an incident but has time to see me. The incident involves a road/rail Landover crew cab which is allowed to carry five in the cab and six in the back on rail as a crew delivery bus has got badly damaged and a couple of people injured. It transpires that it ran into a stationary road rail rubber duck (wheeled excavator). The electronics show it was travelling at 40mph when it should be at 20 max! Now looking to see if the in cab camera reveals any horse play etc! The duck wasn't damaged but the Landrover suffered slight structural damage but major panel and component damage! 

After visiting a few other people, I headed home, spending a lot of the drive on the phone.

Tom had asked me to help him get the engine over to his but has gone boozing instead. He tells Caz that he has to go out tomorrow and Saturday too! I do believe that he is finding a taste for it too!

Caz was in bed when I got home, she got up later for tea and will be in bed soon ready for her last shift before holiday! Whoopee!

[PeteB]

Caz away for her last shift at 3:30. I'm away at 8 to train some more people at Network Rail at South Milford. Then to see a few people locally before heading south to the factory. I drop if the trailer that I dragged around Scotland with the little tractor mounted in the busted pallet. I grab the large Tri axle and after a bit if banter, head home.

Caz's mini is due an MOT while we away so I load than on the trailer as Caz is too tired to drive it to North Nottinghamshire. We had a quite night and in bed early. Tomorrow/today is the day I got to return the lemon Q7 and leave the owners club! I would rather be at a pub to watch the rugby! Good luck England and good luck Ireland and Scotland!

I just thought, the Q7 is quite a long car, I wonder if it will fit on the trailer!?!

[PeteB]

We were both awake early, Caz was off to see an old workmate her new baby while I collected a road tow from the local dealer.mthen I head down to Shepshed to sort out and load the Q7. I'm taking it back as it got sold to us. But I'll leave the battery monitoring ECU in place so it starts and runs.

She is inches too wide to fit between the posts on the trailer so one comes off. Once all our kelter is removed, load, strap and set off for Oldham. The weather gets worse on the way with torrential rain and high winds. I park a street away and drive into their yard. I'm met by a young lad who will not sign for it. So I start to photograph her and another chap appears. He also refuses to sign. I just say that I got photographs of it being there and in good nick! He tries several times to hand me the keys, "let's talk", blah blah blah! "Sorry chap, the time to talk was last September, I've done what the bank has asked me to do and they have refunded my money". He looks mighty shocked and I walk away in the rain. Shame, it could have been a long term ride! Will start to search for another in a week or two.

Surprised that Wales beat Ireland so easily and even more surprised when Scotland fought back and we only just got a draw! World Cup is around the corner and we need to improve massively to have any chance in Japan!

[PeteB]

Got to admit - the holiday apathy was strong yesterday!

Put the trailer back together and loaded the loaned woodchipper on it which took a bit of messing around. I hadn't got the winch control cable so had to park trailer, witch chipper and reveres it up the bed! Then unhitch, hitch to trailer then strap etc. You need a bit of space to turn the trailer around and reverse up to it so grateful that the field wasn't too soft despite the rain.

Caz and I did a few household chores then a trip to town to stock up with dog food etc. During last spring, a roll of roofing felt appeared so that the cats outside shed, dog pound and hut could get a new cover, I suggested that he does the garden shed/workshop too as the felt was gone on the windward side and the walls are no longer weather proof either. I suggested that I do the shed at the end of the summer and again at the end of Autumn. At Christmas, I asked where the felt was and I'd do it. All to no avail. Infuriatingly, the shed has got a touch of wet rot in the roof now and holes in the walls where the timber has cracked and opened. I decided to put a plastic sheet over it to keep the weather out and things like the tools and bikes dry and get a black look from him and the comment that the winds will have that away! Sometimes, I want to walk away and let the place tumble down as he cannot manage and appears to not be bothered either! I went and had a nap on the sofa!!!

We fly to Egypt for 10 days tomorrow and it is Caz's birthday while we are there. So her kids had already told us that we were going to an Italian and they would pay. Doing anything like going out for a meal is always difficult at hers - we have only managed it once without Caz's sister's family and her Parent's coming - whether they are invited or not! They just assume that they are! Then they railroad the job, insisting that we go to a 'food for the masses' pub and to be honest, I don't think that it is good value food/pub either! So, they are advised that we aren't about in the evening and they invite themselves and reach for the phone to book mediocre pub. Daughter takes the hump and to be honest, needs her legs slapping! The old folk mean well and do a lot for the family and to forcibly tell them that they aren't coming is hard. The txt row with the daughter goes on to the point we get a message saying that she isn't coming where ever we go and she will see us, if she can be bothered, when we get back! Kids! Aren't they a joy at times.....

She agrees to come as long as we don't get angry at her as non of this is her fault....Anyhow, we had a decent Italian in Wildwood in Lincoln and come away. Caz is staying there while I go back to Shepshed. I am still a little 'fizzy' about talking the car back and the young one's attitude!

[PeteB]

Hey Ho!!! That's us done for ten days or do!

Quick race down to a recycling spot near Stratford, the want to chuck oversize tree waste shredding a into a machine to resize them. I look at the pile and say, "this type of machine is for tree waste and so on, that stuff is gritty and abrasive so your running cost are higher than average. Consider a shredder, it costs more to buy but may be a more practical answer!". I'm told by an expert on a huge salary that they need cheap but ours ain't right. This guy is on twice what I get paid and tells me that he is an expert. Most projects that he has been involved with only survived on handouts as they weren't viable!

A quick trip to the office to check in/out then my day is done! Off to buy Caz a present then home to pack blah blah blah! Wicked!!!

I got some emails to do but CBA! I'll take the laptop on holiday and do that in a day or two! I got a couple of cases of people not doing what they agreed to do or changing tack that I find infuriating!!! Grrr.

[PeteB]

Home after a ten days break in Hurghada,, Egypt. The type of sun holiday that involves some drinking, lying in the sun, eating and very little else! TBH, the area is a tip, nothing worth visiting but what a hotel! The Pharaoh Azur Resort. 5* spot with 3* guests by and large. And I include my self to a degree! Very smart place, very well run, excellent staff and a decent spot but, Russian currency and Chinese money is king and boy are they a strange breed of people. Not many Brits about which is a shame as far as many Egyptian folk say. Security is still high at airports and hotels, which is comforting. It was an 'all inclusive' deal and good value if you like that sort of thing, and I did on the whole. We didn't drink over the odds, ate what we felt we needed and did not really move from the pool either. Was slightly shocked at how much people put on their plates but didn't eat and the table manners  of some of the others. Maybe, if you eat with two sticks then mastering a knife and fork is difficult. Maybe if western (?) food is so different that beef liver and melon tastes good!!!! As they say, 'the things you see when you ain't got your gun!' springs to mind.

Caz's house purchase got completed while we were away and we eventually decided to look for another Q7 or maybe a decent Disco 3 or even a 4. Who knows! Looking at both this weekend!

[PeteB]

Went to Wood Lane do little or no internet again. Got back late too!

I cannot believe that 10 days of doing nothing renders me so weary! Usual round of 'Wood Lane' jobs done over weekend. But we did get to look at a Disco 3 and a Q7. Cannot make up my mind although, it was neither of those viewed. The Disco got sold and while it was good, mileage was a tad high and the Q7 had too many scars externally and a tatty interior with scratched or busted trim and it just didn't 'grab' me. 

Oh well, the search will continue. 

[PeteB]

Infuriating day at the home office. I really get frustrated at the activities of others who don't really have any haste, spacial awareness or common sense! An important part ordered on Friday morning hasn't been sent out yet - the lackadaisical comment of "it might go today", makes my waste water boil! I have to 'sell' us and our products to the dealer principal, his reps, his service people and parts chaps not to mention the tree surgeon who uses a chipper and our own staff think I'm a burden, an overhead, a prima Donna who swans about with an expense account!!!!

One of my dealer's has a small territory with low numbers and has asked for more but we could not give any more acreage because nothing was available. His other depots already had good dealers who we where committed too. Anyhow, I looked at our competitors webpage to discover they are trying to sell ours in one county yet another make from another depot. Business politics mean that this don't happen! I have the call to make to organise a termination. Shame as the rep who I handled was a good chap and now he is an enemy! First time I have had to part company with a dealer like this but it isn't a black mark on my credibility. Not personal, just business and they have signed up to a competitive make, do we part company.

[PeteB]

A slow start to the day and things just feel messy! Sales are down and generally slow. I hope that it is just a phase and things will change! I seem to have plenty of activities but no sales!!! It does seem to be my week of buffoonery though. Even down to getting a reasonable offer for the 82" ride on mower, cash deal, but cannot get on to internet banking to see if the goodwill offer is in, then cannot get into eBay to end sale!

Also, the program for today, set up and agreed last night, went out the window when the customer staff rang to find out when I was going to be there, but then informed me that both of the loan units they had, didn't make it to Bradford had got left in Cumbria!!!

I also got a gobby chap yawpping on about the issues with his chipper meant that he wanted his money back. I've been asking to meet him on site since Xmas to view the issues but he keeps prevaricating!!! I'll twerk his machine and send it back to him. Then speak to his boss who has not mentioned anything! I think that, because his back hander never got paid, he is having a twist of the knife unnecessarily!

Found a decent Q7 in Leicester too, so maybe back in the club soon enough!

[PeteB]

Training this morning, showing a bunch of Network Rail guys how to get the best from their new machine. Good bunch of people but a tad frustrating that they wont or aren't allowed, to do basic service stuff to the machine. NR have an agreement for someone else to do all that stuff but at a cost!

Then off to see the chipper that the gobby lad was complaining about. A lump of wood had got stuck in the flywheel, causing it to vibrate while running. I'm amazed and saddened that he still ran it despite this crazy vibration! I am always saddened to see poorly maintained or ill machinery and the user doesn't realise or care!!!! The blades were not sharp either, another misdemeanor, and when I rang him, he gets all stroppy and defensive! Blaming everyone else including the dealer!

Home for divorced Dad's Wednesday and Caz is here to start the toil again. She'll be up at 01:00. It Madden's me that she will be overtime at flat rate as MAG overspent on x1.5 or X2 on overtime as they are understaffed but now plead poverty! Her house is coming on but not sure when she will be able to spend a night there!

Slightly annoyed that my colleague has left a load of machinery at one of his dealers following an open day to save him having to work late into a Saturday afternoon. It means that two things that I wanted to do are binned for 7 to 10 days! 

[PeteB]

Spent a couple of hours talking on the phone before heading off to Dunnockshaw. My loan tracked machine was to be collected from my dealer along with some spares sent in error band some parts that were subject to a warranty, then back via another Network Rail yard in Wakefield. But typically, everyone had gone home!

My loan machine was supposed to be poorly, but it started straight away and ran well! Don't know what the issue was and it means that we potentially got a demo that could go bad in the future!

I had the gobby chap on the phone for 45 minutes today. Trying to convince me that I'm wrong and his blades were not blunt and the wedged timber which caused the vibration from the flywheel wasn't the cause of the vibration and that the dealer Service Manager was out to make him look a fool! I think this customer is getting close to being off my list in line for an Xmas card!

[PeteB]

An unrewarding day, fraught with issues that needed covering!

A couple of fruitless hours on the phone and a trip to Buckland in the Cotswolds.mi had previously sold a tractor mounted machine to a stage private estate there and after 9 hours of work, it doesn't! Grrrr.

I take it back to the factory but our two tractors are busy. I make other plans while there to find that one isn't busy, neither is the lad using it! Too late for me! So I do a couple of video clips instead!

After a sit down with the Sales Director, we just discussed how to sack a dealer in a Monday meeting. I start to head out home but the phone goes. The firm who had the bother recently phoned to say their repaired machine has stopped again! It is stuck on a site in Bradford. After some frantic thrashing about and several angry calls, I head home with a different loan machine, trailer and Monday diary! I got to try and placate the owners and regain their trust and enthusiasm for our products! 

Got home and my folks have driven up from Devon to see other ageing folks, go for a meal out, and we got tickets for the rugby! Poor Caz is shattered with her shift pattern and upset as she wasn't awarded a worthwhile contract at the airport! A complaint gas gone in, but her enthusiasm for the place has been dented!

[PeteB]

Caz was away early on Saturday morning, while the old folks and I had a leisurely start to the day. Both of my parents are in their eighties, and drive up from Southern Devon to Leicestershire to see relatives, Grand Children, Leicester Tigers and have a drink! They'd love to have a drink at the match but full bladders can be a PITA when at these events and the walk/drive home! They have discovered the joy's of a Toby Carvery for after match supper and I got to admit that is value and easier than me cooking! The match itself was painful, a usually strong team, this year's Tigers aren't on form and Exeter Chiefs are! The experience wasn't made any more pleasurable by having some Chiefs supporters behind us, one of whom had better eyesight and understanding of the rules than the ref and liked the sound of his own knowledge! I got to admit too, that their Indian like chanting is an absolute dirge when coming from a beered up expert!!

Other duties during the day include buying a lawnmower and getting that down, clothes washing and house work. They old folk went off to see an ill relative who is in god's waiting room. She has a pin sharp memory but a body that is failing, she cannot manage at home, so us in a spot where everything is done for her including her physical functions. I cannot think of anything worse than ending  up like that. Father said, "before I get like that, they'll be some handy tablets". Upsetting but, I understand.

Tom and Pip left us at the carvery to go out on the town. We did think of trying to catch them up at Revolution Night Club, only to show them how it's done, but an early night had more attractive appeal!

[PeteB]

Caz was up at 7 to get ready for work. The rest of us stopped in bed until 9 then had a light breakfast. Dad and Mum had arranged to go to the next village to see his sister and her husband. Another depressing visit, his bro in law has bottom end cancer. Three chances/choices, do nowt and gave a messy/painful end that could take 3 years, lots of chemo which he is on already, or have bladder and bowel removed and bags fitted! Ain't life awful!!! They already got dealt a rum hand when a grandchild was born with learning difficulties - poor kid is now 25 with the habits and abilities of an eight year old. Dad mentioned his "special" tablets again!

I made a decent Sunday roast with shoulder of lamb blah blah, ready for when Caz got back at 13:30. Then the Devon crew set of home, just over three hours drive at the age of 83! They off for their usual holiday in Crete and have asked locally for a shed to be included in accommodation price as the usual car hire placed deny the privilege due to age!

Now sat with a glass of wine with Caz in front of the box with Crime and Investigation channe!

[PeteB]

Caz up at silly o'clock for a 4-16:00 shift and I left before 7 to head off the swap machines in Bradford. Infuriating day of driving to deal with a warranty issue. Even more infuriating to see some fairly shocking paint on a machine that is less than 6 months old.... Good lads on site and hood chaps at the dealers. I took pictures of the paint issues and sent these in for the records. One showed a cast steel hydraulic track drive motor which we sent out late, it had not been painted! I was fair raging when the chap who is responsible for this type of thing stares at me and suggests that the parts guys aren't to blame as we buy it in like that. As if that makes it okay!!!

We sacked the dealer who is advertising a competitive make, no trade out period, account closed. I got to visit the three deals he had on the go and Shanghai them! More work!

I had a worrying episode today, towing 3000kg down the M6, the car went in to limp mode! Got it on the hard shoulder and switched off and switched on again. Thank heavens it seems to have reset the problem!

[PeteB]

Today started with "I'll just do those few emails then go to see people in Herefordshire" to "I still got too much to do to go driving over there!" As a consequence, I've gone square eyed looking at the screen!

However, going to see a Q7 on Friday with Caz!

Sold my saw bench and the new owner has paid but not in a rush to collect it. The chap who brought the "wreckage ride on" is paying cash and sending a lorry on Saturday afternoon, going to be fun getting that on!

Caz did a shorter shift but poor girl is knackered. She away back home until Thursday and I'm going up there on Saturday to do stuff in new house, sort mower, walk dog and probably cleaning house too.

I been trying to sort out stuff for this new machine launch road trip at the end of the month. Already had two dealers go back on their original comments and enthusiasm which isn't very promising! I think that we shall be close to madness as it may be that machines are not ready, gazebos not delivered and brochures not printed either! 

[PeteB]

Away promptly to drive to Hereford. Mission? To get to see a hire outlet who were in line to buy from the sacked dealer, to Shanghai the deal. This outfit has several yards and run a fleet specialist stuff to help service the electricity companies and own one of our tracked machines and were thinking of increasing their fleet. The postcode took me a residential address so I phoned. I was at the owners house. I got ushered into his huge kitchen, sat at the counter, fed a great lid of tea and half hour of banter! Switched them to direct account! Sweet!

Then back to factory and myther! I get bored, frustrated and infuriated following 'process'. If someone has an issue, I fix it, end off the story. I don't need a paper trail, I don't need a meeting, I don't need an order number or a claim form! All got asked for today on a simple broken part! Grrrr.

I collected a dead one the other day, fixed it and will return it tomorrow. No doubt the OCD driven people will get annoyed as my 'process' gets results even if it doesn't fit their convention! I also passed over a situation involving an upset client, who mentioned refund. I had the MD then ask me to deal with it in my style as it usually gets results!

This show we are doing at Westonbirt is also causing grief, the organisation was took off me and given to my colleague but he hashed up the last three years. This year, with the new machine launch, the office based staff are doing it. They forget that it is some 2.5 hour drive for me and they haven't booked a hotel! No I'm faced with Cotswold prices!

[PeteB]

Spent a couple of hours searching for a booking a Cotswold hotel without getting fleeced. Done a few other paperwork or screen jobs then went to the factory. Loaded the little broken one and went to a truly delightful spot called Buckland in the Cotswolds. Through the village until it ends, turn right and follow it til it ends! On top of an escarpment looking across towards Wales. Private estate owned by a wealthy industrialist! Nice...

Thank back to discover that my colleague has been doing nothing in the office all morning but neglected to unload his stuff from his dealers day yesterday. Just bogged off and left it. Others also noted that as well as abandoning them, they were dirty and should has been clean!

I reversed one onto a trailer that I need for Monday, tucked that behind the house and saved myself four hours! Sweet!

Caz back here and she has a half two start, she has got a permanent 4/4 contract so some stability going forward! Brilliant

[PeteB]

The training session organised for Bradford Council was organised as the had this tracked unit a year ago and have been on LANTRA approved tickets but never had a machine specific introduction. Recently, one of the chaps, and they are a good bunch, had an incident on a site and this tracked machine did a nose dive over a low wall hidden in the undergrowth and it was left on its nose with the infeed pointing towards the sky! No damage done and no one hurt, but they felt the need for a refresher. Plus they had a few issues that they want me to help with. We got on good naturedly and had a giggle while we did it. They want an alteration doing to suit their needs as well as I noted a badly fitting safety bar - still compliant but renders the machine hard work to live with as it activtes too soon. When it was delivered last year, I had a rage in the office after our own demo unit was the same and suggested that all in that batch were checked over - obviously they didn't.....FUBAR! 

After that, I went to the dealers in Burnley to collect a demo unit then raced home to view this Q7, it wasn't at the car lot until tomorrow and someone else is going too. So, that one may not be for us...

Then off to get some stuff for Caz's spot. A smart tv,curtain/blinds etc and that got rid of £600!

[PeteB]

Caz away as per usual. I drove up to the Retford house, mowed the lawn, assembled the TV, fitted the shower screen and looked to do the blinds. The one for the front room was a tad too narrow, downstairs had a hollow lintel and the hanging for then was basically naff! Have to rethink this...Met the neighbors and they seem friendly enough, even bobbed off to get a key for the shared jitty!

This afternoon we went to a car sales place in Coventry were they had some Discovery 4 and a few Q7. All seemed a tad shabby with scruffy interiors, bits of damage outside, reversed scuffs blah blah. Feel a little deflated by it all.

In front of the box eBay dreaming and mentally trying to solve why Tom's Subaru has a bust clutch. Pedal goes to the floor on bleeding, works once then pedal hits the floor and stays there! Smacks of a busted seal internal bypass!

[PeteB]

Another lonely sort of day, Tom at some gaming convention in Berlin and Caz away at work until late lunchtime. Pip was probably recovering from a late night in the club's of Loughborough.

I did a fair few household chores, mending the vacuum, hoovering up, ironing, clothes washing blah blah blah, all to load music! YouTube is a wonderful thing! 

Made a soup for dinner and watched the highlights of the rugby from yesterday and Friday. Caz came home and went to bed after a bite to eat! I got to watch all of the Exeter Chiefs v Wasps match and it was a pleasure!

More eBay dreaming, still looking for a decent Q7, without having to go miles! 

Short week next week! Hurrah!

[PeteB]

Caz away at 02:00 and back at lunch. I'm away heading north around 06:30, all the way to Newcastle at 60mph! Met the dealer rep in the yard and headed out to Newcastle town to meet a bunch of the council tree team. They have another make, which they like, but have agreed to see us. Started to show ours off and go over the USP's etc. They like it! Fire it up and let them throw stuff into it, they like it more! Could be in the cheap seats for a shed change of three! Sow the seeds further with a bit of name dropping, "Derby City have had 6, Karbon Housing have one and it transformed their work!" Blah blah blah! Shameless !Removed! of a Salesman!!!

Then headed for Carlisle but the man I wanted to see had bogged off to Dumfries unannounced do sat talking to sales guys etc.

Headed home with the intention of stopping at a car sales spot in Wakefield to see a smart Q7. I had emailed but no response, so rang only to find it had been sold ages ago! Grrr.

Got to collect Tom and his mate from Brum airport later, after his trip to Berlin. His Subaru will need fixing over the next few days, could be a couple of hundred in parts!

By the time I park up, I reckon I covered close to 500 miles today!

[PeteB]

Caz's last shift for a bit was 04:30-08:30. I had gone before she finished and she done house stuff then went north. 

I headed to the factory to drop of one and collect a new demo unit. A small one with little margin - the type of deal that if you don't sell, the day costs! Two people's time, two trucks blah blah blah. Got to the client and see the small pile of stuff. The client is immediately dismissive as he wanted one on the back of his tractor, but this can be towed around the estate  with the tractor but isn't reliant on the tractor. He things it is too small and too dear as well! "Humour me!" Says I, "I've come this all the way and need the exercise!". I fire it up, the pile disappears PDQ, and I sneak a look at them, they are all smiling! Done deal apart from the official nod! Sweet day! Mind you, it is a little demon thing!

Back to the factory to gear up to return a unit back to the owner after a warranty fix. I hope that they fixed the flaws but I feel that it will be a boomerang! My Ranger is a year old this week and just passed over 50k, another 300 tomorrow is neither here or there but another day not going sales!

Had an infuriating situation with the development team. The got a pivotal prototype part going and needed people to test it. It was decided that Sales get a few customers on board and the Drawing Office carry it on. We did just that. Several weeks ago, one of my customers needed more of these parts do I involved the DO, asking them to contact as per the test and send out the bits. They didn't. Customer rings me again. Apparently, the lad given the task has decided that he isn't in a "Customer Facing Role", hence he has not kept up to speed with the tests, recorded any results or sent out any parts! I found out that he isn't over helpful in any role! That role of non team player thing is right up my nose!

[PeteB]

Experiencing a series of infuriating events at the moment, stuff which needs to be done isn't, parts that need organising that don't, blah blah blah. It started out with a call to tell me that this machine I'm returning was scheduled to have a plate welded in place to help a conveyor, no one told me or the service manager that it had to be done so I'm dragging it back to the owner before we get told!. I phone the person who should have organised and communicated and had some off hand comment about it not that important! So why weld it in then??? I asked for the warranty manager to contact a council customer with issues, I asked how it was progressing only to be told, "as it isn't registered with us, I cannot do anything" He was a tad sheepish when I confirmed that it did exist and he had to get off his backside to send the parts and talk to the dealer about the warranty repair and the warranty reg documents -"be proactive and people will work with you,!" I then asked what had been done about a split weld on a replaceable part and got "I've passed the picture to the fabrication manager and we are waiting to have a meeting about it". He was silent when I pointed out that we cannot repair it so he needs a replacement part, and when is he sending that? Has he discussed this with the owner and the warranty dealer? One week later and nope, he is waiting for a meeting to get told that it cannot be repaired so he needs to send a new one!!! There are times that I get so frustrated and annoyed, I could thump, kick and scream abuse at people!

The day started out like that and only marginally got better! Got a couple of site visits in and trapped a bolshy customer with a grievance who gets rude and stroppy. Got him in his yard to discuss a way forward with a commitment from us and the dealer and just confirmed that we will work with him to resolve his grievance but he ain't getting his money back!

Home to the Divorced Dad's Wednesday! Only Tom here, and he still cannot get the clutch on the Subaru working! He is about ready to burn it! A new master cylinder is a chunk and no seal kit available! Caz up at hers and enjoying the company of her family and the dog!

[PeteB]

Early start! Was gone soon after six as the training with Network Rail in Sheffield was due to start at 07:30. Satnag took round the houses and caused me to be late but they were good about it. Good bunch of folk who wanted to learn and asked questions and had a bit of banter.

Odd thing happened though. A passing train had a conductor shout across that there was a trespassing chap who needed escorting off the track. We stopped while three lads went off to sort this out. They escorted this well dressed but oddly behaving 20 something off the railway property and onto a road which lead in the industrial heartland if Sheffield. Someone thought he was off his trolly on drugs, sweaty, nervous, staring around etc. Some 20 minutes later, we could sirens in all directions and the helicopter was overhead. Turns out this chap was on the run from the Police and the NR chaps inadvertently helped him get away from them! The five oh were slightly annoyed that we hadn't kept hold of him as a trespasser!

Wakefield Station after that for another round of training, again, another good set up with willing staff. Makes the day easier!

Raced back to Shepshed to store a chipper, finish the week with a few emails then up to Caz's for a couple of days.

She had BT come and sort out the TV/phone/internet stuff. While he was there, a brick fell from the chimney downwards and crashed into the bricked up hearth and another slid down the roof and crashed through the roof of their outhouse! Fortunately, the selling agent phoned the seller who came around and gas promised to get something done tomorrow! Not a good start to home ownership!