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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB.

@rm86.bsky.social
343 followers 281 following 426 posts

Railway Route Controller, trying to run a patch of railway across the North and North East. Sometimes I succeed. Likes trains, which is probably just as well.

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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
WHSmith: "Why is nobody buying anything in our shops?" Also WHSmith:
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
Woke this morning convinced that our entire fleet had suddenly been replaced by a delivery of long-lost locos that looked a bit like the 'Fell' diesel and, for whatever reason, had been discovered in Holland. Alas, t'was but a dream. 😐 Have a, more conventional, Dutch train.
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
Me welcoming all my new followers
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
Found my Mormon name.
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
It's nice to come into work when there's a little something for your collection waiting for you. ❤️😀🚂
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 21/02/2026
Drop a crush from your youth. (Have four, I wasn't fussy. Can't you tell I grew up in the 'nineties?)
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
...and, of course, trains. Nice.
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
Berlin.
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
Hamburg.
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
Minatur Wunderland, of course, a joy.
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
A little bit of Germany serves you well. 🇩🇪
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
It would be rude, of course, not to patronise the incredible TfW dining service tonight round off the week... 😋 Marvellous.
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
Today, day four: Edinburgh to London to Salisbury to Newport and back to Crewe.
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
Edinburgh, naturally, as moody as ever. ❤️
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
Day three: Aberdeen and back down to Edinburgh.
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
Kyle was OK, too. 😂
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
...seriously stunning...
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
The scenery was stunning....
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
Day two: Out to Kyle of Lochalsh (with a cheeky walk over to Skye).
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
I've been on my travels. 1719 rail miles, lots of lovely scenery and some jolly good food. Yeah, it's been grand. 😀 Day one: To Inverness:
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
"Come an' have a go if yer think yer..."
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
Decided to bag my first EMR 'Aurora'. Pleasant enough. Little different to your typical IET, though admittedly the seats are a bit better. First Class catering offer still a post-COVID embarrassment, unless you have a thing for New York Deli or egg mayo (I don't). Yeah. So so. 😐
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
Been a right old grump today. So, shift over, there's only one thing for it... Trains. This is likely to be my last trip aboard one of Chiltern's Mk3 sets and is, therefore, my last trip aboard a scheduled Mk3-operated service in England.
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
Managed one at Truro once!
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 10/01/2026
Fun fact: Once you hear the theme to Catchphrase in Thin Lizzy's 'The Boys Are Back In Town' or the Blankety Blank theme in Wham's 'Club Tropicana', finding music from British TV quiz shows in popular songs is quite the wormhole to fall into... Have a train.
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
The struggle is real...
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 31/12/2025
Seeing out the last vestiges of 2025 daylight in my beloved York. Happy New Year, folks.
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
Suppose it's better than having a goose smashing through her back door, amirite?! Fnarr.
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
It says something about the state of the world that I can brutally assault my ears with these 1998 episodes of #TOTP and still float into a dreamy nostalgic utopia of terracotta wallpaper and Ellesse sweaters... ...as so capably modelled by your humble scribe in, by remarkable coincidence, 1998.
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
Anyway, I'm sure everybody has strong opinions on what constitutes a good railway station tree, so feel free to argue amongst yourselves about the accuracy of my scoring. 😁 It beats all the usual topics, anyway... Until next year (maybe), goodnight London, and Happy Christmas.
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
If any Network Rail bigwigs are watching, this is the sort of tree London deserves. Here's Cardiff Central's tree - beautifully decorated with a mix of decorations, and there's a fine star topper too. A joy.
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
Paddington. Ugh. More advertising. 😐 Picket fence present, and at least looks a bit like a tree, but not a patch on last year. 2/5.
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
St Pancras. Wasn't a tree last year. Isn't a tree this year. Is, however, only the second one to feature something loosely constituting a topper, so I suppose that should earn it a point. Good cause rather than movie tie-in but, y'know, it's still not a tree. 1/5.
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
Kings Cross. What the...? No. Not only a tacky sponsored tie-in, but selling tat, too? Such a let down after last year's beautiful one. No. No. No. No. However, it's actually one of the three to have a topper (at least, that's what I'm assuming Hedwig is meant to be). 1/5.
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
Liverpool Street. No tree last year that I could find, just some tinsel in the ticket office. Pleased to say that this has been remedied. Sponsored, but another good cause - mustn't grumble. It's real, too. Met a labrador called Muffin. 3/5 for tree. 8359.2/5 for Muffin.
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
Fenchurch Street. Last year, I described the tree as "looking a bit like something you'd dig out of your loft in 1987". This year, a new tree! Picket fence. Nicely decorated. Couldn't see a topper and, as a security guard was glancing my way, I wasn't about to look... 4/5.
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
Cannon Street. Last year, that bit of tinsel was the only concession to Christmas I could find. This year, a tree! 😀😀😀 I'm noticing there seems to be a 'Southern Region Standard'. The fence, tree and decoration style is the same as at VIC and LBG. How very BR. Nice. 4/5.
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
London Bridge. Another new tree, and a new fence. Looks the same as the one at Victoria. Last year's tree had an attractive bow topper. None present this year. Same as Victoria's, but more generously decorated so... 4/5.
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
Charing Cross. No Christmas spirit to be found on the concourse. Though, for 08:30 on a Thursday, nor were there many passengers. The tree outside is the best I can find. Same as last year. Sponsored, albeit by a good cause. No decorations but has a topper (a nice star). 2/5.
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
Euston. Now that's much more like it. New decorations this year, it seems. I like the little jingle bells. No topper, which (spoiler alert) seems to be a theme this year, but otherwise a lovely sight compared to the previous monstrosity. 4/5.
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
Waterloo. Last year's tree was simple but elegant, and a lovely size. Also featured a Sally Army band, which is always a joy. This year, a TV series tie-in. Big, but there's no Christmassy feel to it at all. Would rather sit through Mrs Brown's Boys than see this again. 0/5.
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
Victoria. A modest example. Looks a little lost amidst the bustle, despite the prominent location, but this is Victoria. Decorations not bad. Mandatory picket fence present. No topper, but also no advertising. Not unpleasant, just needs to be a bit bigger, perhaps? 3/5.
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
Marylebone. Oh dear. Last year's beautiful tree, which scored highly, has been replaced by a Fortnums/Bicester Village tie-in. 😐 I'm not hostile towards the decorations, and it's a good size, but there's no topper and, well, it's just a big advert, really. 2/5
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
Last year, I thought it'd be good fun to find and review the Christmas tree at each of London's twelve mainline terminus stations. You all seemed to enjoy it, so join me again for the Great London Christmas Tree Review (Railway Edition) of 2025! What larks! 🌲 🧵
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 11/12/2025
*plays Thames TV theme in head*
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 09/12/2025
"On my trolley tonight I have sandwiches, crisps, sweets and fizzy pop!" Didn't realise I'd stumbled into a children's party. Half expecting to be press-ganged into wearing a party hat (young me didn't do hats) and 'joining in' (didn't like doing that, either). Have a train.
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 09/12/2025
I couldn't give a flying proverbial about colours and flag references and whatnot, it's just that it looks less like a train livery and more like the tracksuit Keith Allen wore in the 'Vindaloo' video. There's no flair or panache to this at all. 4/10. Could do better.
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 28/11/2025
Happy Bernard Black Friday to all who celebrate.
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 26/11/2025
Knightmare, definitely!
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Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
Speaking as a child of the East, when in Norwich, one must pay due respect to the oracle...
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