Just one more !

Yet another one of AG (and mine let the truth be told) favourite sayings as we are contemplating departing 'The River'. This is a dangerous pub, but popular with the ex-pats locals alike. Pictured above are a startled AG and lardish DR on the Shinkansen , a ceremony at the station and two THSR train crew (all pictures gratefully received from NT - Louise !). Today I will reveal the start of the course has been hard work, due to the fact that the content isn't very exciting for an experienced railway person (no longer the boil in the bag signaller !). So we have been taught about interlockings, how the clocks work, how the radio works, how PA announcements work etc. You are brought back down to earth and wake up, though, when Pol (the trainer) goes into the bit about natural disaster warning systems. Strangely in Ashford we never had such amusing toys as Earthquake alarms, Landslide,Rockfall, Flood and Typhoon (wind velocity) alarm - they have wind alarms on CTRL, but really ! We also have an intrusion alarm, which is serious, as they expect flying vehicles on the line ! Speaking of Typhoons - I must thank Chris Williams (CW) ,an aussie, for this great tip : If you get caught up in a typhoon, just fill the bath with water, fill the fridge with lager and watch the objects go past your window (if you are high enough up !). All spoken in that delightful aussie twang of course. I am hoping for an improvement in English cricket fortunes or else it could get a little unbearable here! Some bad news from my beloved LFC - Sissoko broke his shoulder in the Carling Cup - please get well soon Momo. Finally and a long way from least some good news to end with- Congratulations to Simon (my brother-in-law) and his wife Madie on the birth of their daughter Emily Rose. Well Done you two and keep the photos coming. Cheers for now, a pub called 'The River' seems to be calling my name ..................