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As a life-long non smoker I can see some loopholes in the ban if it only applies to cigarettes. Years ago people used to make their own ciggies by buying the tobacco, fag paper and filters separately and then constructing a cigarette. There's also pipes and cigars which would also seem to be...

Here's a photo I took in the early 1970's at Vordenberg Market on the Erzgebirg rack railway.

They can be,and most are, set not to ring during the night. When we ring for services we pull the chime hammers clear of the bells using a special rope. If we don't pull them back on after ringing then the clock will stay silent.

In many churches the same bells are used for the quarter chimes if the tower has a clock. It is often these that cause complaints especially if they ring throughout the night. Luckily my church, of which I am the tower captain, doesn't have a clock. They really are more trouble than they are...

As a bellringer I can tell you that I am equally interested in Bell ringing and real ale drinking, but not at the same time. 1711641129 According to Doves Guide there are only only 23 towers in the whole of Scotland where there are bells hung for change ringing. The nearest one's to Altnabreac...

Thwaites were brewing a cask-conditioned "Irish Stout" for St Patrick's day this year. It was much better than Guinness.

I've often thought that Guernsey should be renamed after the much neglected English song composer, Ivor Gurney.

Where I live in Lancashire I usually pay between £3 and £4 a pint except in Spoons where it's under £3 and if you have a Camera voucher under £2. I do pay above £4 in posher eating pubs though. I suppose it depends on which part of the country you live in.

Real ale can only be drunk in pubs and clubs though. Drinking your 3 bottles of Aldi beer at home implies you were drinking alone with only yourself to talk to.

It seems the Turkeys voted against Christmas last year.

This pub was the nearest thing we had to the leaning tower of Pisa. Imagine the reaction of the Italians if somebody knocked that down.

I once went inside a tardis police box. Once through the door they seemed enormous inside.

Shop in Morrisons like I do then. You don't see many other customers.

The English composer Arthur Butterworth (1923-2014) was also a railway enthusiast. Arthur wrote seven symphonies a number of which have been recorded on the Dutton label. This includes a re-issue of his first symphony recorded by Sir John Barbirolli and the Halle Orchestra in 1958. I didn't know...

One down, one to go!

I had a touch of big C a few years ago. It was testicular in nature. I had an op and in this respect, and this respect only, I'm now like Hitler and also very similar to Himmler. I'm glad my problem wasn't on the 6 o'clock news though. I hope the old boy gets fully better.

As one who can remember steam locos in normal use it would be entirely authentic for passengers to want to block out the sounds and smells of the loco. We enthusiasts could get into serious trouble with normals by opening windows and leaning out etc.

Maurice Ravel once said that he preferred a beautiful locomotive to a beautiful woman. The first locosexual?

I should have said I'm hoping to make a journey from Wigan to York via Bolton and Manchester Victoria by electric train to bring it back on piste!

I'm 80 in March. I'm hoping to make a journey from Wigan to Bolton by electric train. My mother lived till she was 99.9!