Thomas the Tank Engine

1646 days ago

Photo article: Joshua meets the Fat Controller at Llangollen

The weather was not good but that was no deterrent for young Joshua as he got to meet and ride in Thomas the Tank Engine at Llangollen yesterday. Then there was a ride up the Dee Valley railway with another steam train and back down, after lunch, with Daisy, an electric train who on Sodor had trouble with her springs after being bumped by naughty Diesel. As you can see below, Diesel had also popped over from Sodor but was doing no bumping. The highlight of the day was meeting the fat controller. the look on Joshua’s face, below, says it all.

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1646 days ago

Tom Winnifrith Bearcast: a truly amazing discovery by Brokerman Dan

A day of delight for Joshua as we head off to meet Thomas the Tank Engine at Llangollen and for me as Brokerman Dan makes a truly amazing discovery at the Welsh Hovel. Then it is onto Gabriel Grego’s latest triumph, why we bears do such great work and the forces of evil ranged against us.

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1774 days ago

Daddy that is the best present ever… Joshua is easy to please

My son Joshua is obsessed with Thomas the Tank Engine and the other engines from Sodor and Santa Claus, being an inspired fellow, knew this and last year gave the lad, inter alia, pairs of Thomas (blue), Percy (green) and James (red) socks. He loved them all.

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2046 days ago

Update on fitness campaign at gym – daughter sneers as expected

One week down and my every other day visits to the gym continue. Joshua loves it and asks to go every day as kind Perry, the stalwart of the local Tories and the gym manager, allows him to watch Thomas The Tank Engine on the screens while I slog away at the treadmill.

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2048 days ago

Photo Article: Birthday for Joshua turning two

Cripes how time flies. Joshua turned two on Sunday. His sister came down opn Saturday and as you can see in the first photo Joshua likes wearing women's clothes, well shoes anyway.

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2049 days ago

Back on a fitness kick – Joshua and I head to the gym again: does my effort impress?

I am conscious that I have put on a few pounds during the summer, that my blood sugar is too high – though not off the scale as it once was – and that action is needed to lose weight and to get/keep my type 2 diabetes in check. Thus it is time to visit Perry, the stalwart of the local Tory party, who runs a gym half way between Joshua’s nursery, aka the borstal, and our house here in Bristol.

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2069 days ago

Photo article from the Greek Hovel - wildlife diversity edition: the Mrs and Olaf both screamed

Right now I am in a luxury hotel organised by the Mrs for daughter Olaf's last night in Greece and for me to recover in after a ten hour road trip to drop Miss W off at Athens airport."Baywatch" has a great view, a lovely pool, ouzo is on tap, the internet works allowing Joshua to sit like a moron watching Thomas the Tank Engine without interruption and the Mrs is lolling happily. And there is no wildlife diversity to report. Not so back at the Greek Hovel. Let us start with the scorpion.

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2077 days ago

Photo article from the Greek Hovel – disaster averted

As you know, young Joshua, is obsessed with Thomas the Tank Engine and friends. The highlight of his year was meeting Thomas on the Watercress Line  with godfather Lucian Miers.  The Bard of the Boleyn gave him a plastic Percy which makes real noises and that goes everywhere. But for some reason his favourite train is bossy Gordon. He is also very fond of my Mother-in-law.

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2092 days ago

Photo Article: Joshua meets his idol, Thomas the Tank Engine

The Watercress Line was established to take cress from the clean chalk rivers of Hampshire up to Covent Garden. Closed by Dr Beeching it is now a steam railway and last weekend it started its annual, two week, Thomas and friends event. My son Joshua lives and breathes Thomas, Percy, Gordon and Henry and so his godfather Lucian who lives near the line arranged for a day out. The first photo of the buggy store shows my boy is not the only Thomas obsessive.

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2188 days ago

Photo Article: Joshua learns a new word in Sweden - "outdoors"

The new words are being learned thick and fast now. I cannot remember from days gone by how much a 19 month old should be speaking but the Mrs and I agree that Joshua is very clever. We disagree from which side he gets the "very clever gene" but you, dear reader, know that it is mine. Not all words sound quite right. Joshua's fave character in his favourite TV show and book, is Gorguan, or as you might say Gordon in Thomas the Tank Engine.

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