Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 22/07/2026WHSmith: "Why is nobody buying anything in our shops?" Also WHSmith: 040
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 10/07/2026Railways: "We're replacing a junction. We need a tightly-timed block of the area for one weekend. A one hour overrun causes chaos." Roads: "We're digging a small hole. We need a 6-way controlled exclusion zone akin to Bikini Atoll immediately. We might actually start work in eight weeks' time." 😑 050
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 22/06/2026You pop to Morrisons for five minutes and you miss the PM's resignation speech. Never mind, it's like missing Last Night of the Proms - a shame, but it's always the same and you know there'll be another one next year. 191
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 22/04/2026They were a favourite on childhood trips over that way. I still try and fit in trips when I can! Fortunately for me, Fleet tends to cause me more frequent headaches than SPADs. Better for all concerned! 010
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 22/04/2026Woke this morning convinced that our entire fleet had suddenly been replaced by a delivery of long-lost locos that looked a bit like the 'Fell' diesel and, for whatever reason, had been discovered in Holland.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. 1142
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 07/04/2026Bigger names are missing a trick here, I think. Madonna's all very quick to book herself into Wembley, but what about the Function Room at Seaton Carew Golf Club? Bet that'd be a sellout, and there'll be all the Carling and Scampi Fries she can get down her neck. She can have that idea on me. 041
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 07/04/2026I love looking at the venues for provincial touring productions. Who, except those with zero sense of adventure, could fail to wonder what a night at the theatre in Hedge End is like? Or how they can book the (fairly substantial) Key in Peterborough alongside Lavenham Village Hall? 121
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 27/03/2026I didn't know Michael Heseltine had plagued the Doctor. 130
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 16/03/2026It's nice to come into work when there's a little something for your collection waiting for you. ❤️😀🚂 0101
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 21/02/2026The sublime Gadget Hackwrench aside, I've stuck to the Brits. America opens up the likes of Melissa Joan Hart and, well... 010
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 21/02/2026Drop a crush from your youth. (Have four, I wasn't fussy. Can't you tell I grew up in the 'nineties?) 110
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/02/2026A little bit of Germany serves you well. 🇩🇪 160
Reposted by Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB.Dan McPainInOneSpecificKnee @danmckee.bsky.social · 03/02/2026I’m always saying this 063
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 23/01/2026It would be rude, of course, not to patronise the incredible TfW dining service tonight round off the week... 😋 Marvellous. 130
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 23/01/2026Today, day four: Edinburgh to London to Salisbury to Newport and back to Crewe. 120
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 23/01/2026Edinburgh, naturally, as moody as ever. ❤️ 120
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 23/01/2026Day three: Aberdeen and back down to Edinburgh. 120
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 23/01/2026Day two: Out to Kyle of Lochalsh (with a cheeky walk over to Skye). 130
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 23/01/2026I'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: 1180
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 23/01/2026The idea of, at some point in the future, being a set of bones that sets gas board workers and police officers into such a state of befuddlement as only the intrepid local clergy can solve is a distinctly appealing one. 040
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 21/01/2026"Come an' have a go if yer think yer..." 0194
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 15/01/2026Decided 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. 😐 0110
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 15/01/2026Been 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. 2130
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 10/01/2026Fun 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. 0170
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 08/01/2026I hope he sticks it out. Buddy Holly and his gang grew tired of touring randomly around Minnesota and North Dakota with no logical pattern and we know how that ended up... ...with a *really* long song. 020
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 31/12/2025Seeing out the last vestiges of 2025 daylight in my beloved York. Happy New Year, folks. 080
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/12/2025Suppose it's better than having a goose smashing through her back door, amirite?! Fnarr. 292
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/12/2025It 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. 060
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/12/2025Anyway, 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. 141
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/12/2025(I wanted a better photo of Cardiff's tree, but there were loads of police stood around thanks to Chelsea playing Cardiff City and, though I would win any 'Looks Least Like A Chelsea Fan' contest hands down, I'm not sure they'd believe me if I said I review Christmas trees so...) 110
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/12/2025If 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. 150
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/12/2025So, there we are. This year, it's a four-way tie between Euston, London Bridge, Cannon St and Fenchurch St. Hurrah for them all. Positives taken fron this year: Liverpool Street and Cannon Street both gained trees. 🎄 Negatives: More sponsorships 💷, fewer toppers.⭐️ 🎀 110
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/12/2025Paddington. Ugh. More advertising. 😐 Picket fence present, and at least looks a bit like a tree, but not a patch on last year. 2/5. 130
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/12/2025St 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. 120
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/12/2025Kings 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. 130
Capt. Osbert Twinge Bt. KCB. @rm86.bsky.social · 19/12/2025Liverpool 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. 130