Thanks for comment re "West Coast Mainline in N Gauge" Youtube videos, Newportnobby.
Sorry, only just saw your comment, but I have checked out a few.

Well that's put me off me dinner!

We get them here too, but I haven't bothered investigating in such detail.

We used to get Christmas beetles, but haven't seen any around for years.

Hello folks,

I've not heard a single Christmas Carol so far this year, but things are far from quiet. Christmas here in Australia heralds the arrival of the cicadas, or to be more accurate the arrival of their adult mating stage. Near my house, the cicada pupae have emerged from underground in the last week after growing and feeding on the sap in tree roots for the last 7 years or so. This short clip was taken this morning at the end of my street.


https://youtu.be/xjGv0w15VOw

Here is a photo of the pupae shell cases after they have molted into adults.



And, a still shot of an adult.



The pupae climb a tree then molt into their winged, adult form. Thereafter, the males sing their guts out in the trees to attract a mate. When there is a hundred or so of these critters in a tree, they can make quite a racket. Our local Redeye cicada is a big bug being about 5 cm from the nose tip to the wing end. A related species is capable of 120 dbl at a distance of 50 cm and I daresay a Redeye would be up there too in song generating capability.

I'm missing Christmas Carols as they really are important for getting into the spirit of Christmas. Even carols involving snow would be welcome though they really don't fit with our season down here.

Best wishes to all for the season,
Webbo 

Been a bit of a pity so far.

I'm hoping for Starc to be rested in Adelaide with England to win.
Boxing Day test into the last session of the 5th day, England need a few runs for the win with 3 wickets in hand. Pat says to Mitchell, "Shall we win this?"(or words to that effect!!) Starc comes on (the crowd goes wild) and takes a hat trick. (Have you seen the Major League movie? Wild Thing!)
Both teams go to Sydney and have another good match.

Sigh. I think I must be dreaming.

Why can't we have really good matches like the Centenary Test match?

Mark

Well Mick got his tutu!

Oh gawd, what have I started?

Thanks Pete.  Any chance you could scan the colour list if you get a spare moment?  No urgency - for now they will go on the shelf with all my own and my son's paints.   I'll probably do the usual trick of giving them a good stir and adding a small drop to the cap for reference.   

This is just the start of the clear out, I know there are still loads of Humbrol tinlets and others to gather up!

Not to be outdone by @Trainfish here's York 2023. Notice that Mrs B sensibly refused to be part of such nonsense.

I watched the first session whilst unpacking / cleaning / fixing trains from last weekend's show and was very unimpressed with it. Then turned on for the last hour of play and immediately went and watched something else once I saw the score.
Mick you are so right. Can't x 3.

From the 90s.  I have a sheet listing the colours, R02 is Rail Red. S09 is not listed- it stops at S08!

Pete