Better late than never!

[whole diary]

[TonyK]

I have been a member of this forum for over a year, and realise that I have not properly introduced myself, except to a few members in person over drinks once. Very nice bunch they are, too!

My name is Tony, and I am slightly above average height. I am a civil servant, and have lived in Bristol since 1977. I was born in Oldham, moved to Blackpool aged 14, and have also lived in Redruth and Camborne, working most memorably in a tin mine (South Crofty) for a while.

These days, I am an occasional rail traveller, usually fairly local - to Shirehampton, Weston, or Gloucester as a rule, although if I have to visit London, then train is my first choice. My morning commute (I work in historic Portland Square in St Pauls and live in Brislington) is by car or on foot, depending on whether I have to go elsewhere during the day, and the weather. I would use public transport, but for the cost and unreliability in Bristol. I believe strongly that we need good public transport, within the city, the Greater Bristol area and nationally, and that rail has a strong role to play in this. I believe equally strongly that BRT^▸ (Bus Rapid Transit), or Bust Rabid Transit, is an expensive folly that will do little or nothing to help, and is the wrong solution to the wrong problem. I joined this forum because of the obvious depth of knowledge and experience I could see, and so that I could air my own views, and open them to constructive criticism.

My handle on this site, Four Track Now!, amended to Four Track, Now! after I thought I had heard Theresa Villiers announce the requadrification of the railway to Filton Bank, was really the result of a mental block when registering for the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Coffee Shop. I am sure I am not the first, and won't be the last, person to find the blank space for a forum nickname is matched by the blank space in the head. Having chosen Four Track Now on impulse, I began to regret it within moments, but couldn't think of anything better. (My son plays bass in a band called "High Speed Hangover" for similar reasons). However, I have found it has grown on me, and is a source of frequent puns, so I think I'll stick with it for a while.

I have other interests. I am married, with a son, two daughters, and two grandsons, soon to be joined by a third grandchild. Mrs FTN does not share my passion for rail and FGW, but paradoxically takes many more rail journeys than I do. She does, however, appreciate my being able to tell her whether her train will be on time. We intend to move to the country when I finish work (she has been made repugnant recently, something that delighted her greatly) and already have a cottage in Devon that we enjoy all we can in the meantime. It is thatched, and available for rent, with special discounts for Coffee Shop members via a PM. We enjoy travelling, something that gets easier as you age. I speak reasonable French, plus some Spanish and German, and can order a beer in most European languages. Though I blow my own trumpet, I am a good cook, and a fairly good baker, both skills acquired as economy measures. I learned to fly at Filton airfield in my late 40s, as a reward for recovering from cancer, the most fun I ever had in trousers (flying, that is, not cancer). Sadly, a combination of Filton's closure, changes in regulations, and the need to buy a house at short notice mean that I am again earthbound, but I rule nothing out. Football-wise, I follow Manchester United, and unusually for Man U fans globally, I attended most home games for a while, during the latter days of Charlton, Best, Law, and others. I am neutral in City v Rovers, although I have attended more City games than Rovers.

So there we are, Four Track, Now! laid bare. Not a pretty sight.

[JayMac]

A well rounded individual it seems. Except for one blind spot.

Manchester United. 

[TonyK]

A well rounded individual it seems. Except for one blind spot.

Manchester United. 

Ha Ha Ha! After the burglary at trophy room at the Rovers ground, police asked the public to let them know if they were offered a display cabinet and a blue and white carpet with a pirate motif. I also follow sympathetically the fortunes (or misfortunes in some cases) of Oldham Athletic, Fleetwood Town, Blackpool, and Exeter City. And also, because my wife's late father played for them as goalkeeper, Yeovil Town. Because my sister lives there and follows them, I also watch out for Norwich City, and subscribe to the Delius Myth.

[Chris from Nailsea]

... I have not properly introduced myself, except to a few members in person over drinks once. Very nice bunch they are, too!

Purely for the record, that particular occasion was the Portishead Line excursion on 29 September 2012, and those who had the quite genuine pleasure of meeting Tony Four Track, Now! over a beer or two in the Wetherspoons near Bristol Temple Meads were myself, bignosemac, Ollie, Brucey and 6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01 (or relex109, as he was known to us at that time.) 

My only, very slight, reservation is over Four Track, Now!'s rather gratifying description of those particular forum members as a 'very nice bunch they are, too ...' 

[TonyK]

I remained indebted to you for the ticket, Chris, without which I don't think I would have ever got to Portbury Dock. It was certainly a very great pleasure to meet up, and down a couple of Wetherspoons' finest. Hopefully, another excuse will come along by and by.

[JayMac]

I'm sure it will FT,N.

I may just float the idea of a forum gathering in the coming days or weeks.... It's been a while.

and those who had the quite genuine pleasure of meeting Tony Four Track, Now! over a beer or two were....
....6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01 (or relex109, as he was known to us at that time.) 

But only once you'd gone off to find him!

[Chris from Nailsea]

But only once you'd gone off to find him!

Indeed: http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=11167.msg118368#msg118368 

[BerkshireBugsy]

FtN - I thank you for a lovely introduction and I am about to reveal my stupidity !

I thought your handle was due to an interest in reel to reel recording equipment (or some one sold you a duff 8 track, for those old enough to remember those)

Thank you for correcting me!

[TonyK]

Berkshire Buggy,

Thank you for that, although some of the younger members on this forum will have no idea what you are talking about!

[BerkshireBugsy]

Berkshire Buggy,

Thank you for that, although some of the younger members on this forum will have no idea what you are talking about!

When we were clearing out some household junk recently my son (8.5 years old) came across a VHS tape and asked what it was. When I tried to explain what it was he quickly asked if it was April first !

[Red Squirrel]

You should see the look on a 7-year-old's face when you try to explain what a telephone box is..!

[TonyK]

I once shared a drink (or two) with Michael Foot in the buffet at Temple Meads, after a day in Plymouth. I was sat at the bar, he sat next to me. I said hello, and missed my train to Redland whilst we chatted. We avoided politics, and he was good company. This was the day after, in February 1995, the Sunday Times had alleged, through Olev Gordievsky's serialised memoir, that he had been a Soviet agent. There was a picture in my Times of him waving his cane at the cameraman, which he hadn't seen. He autographed it for me - sadly, it has been lost since. He was amused by it - he was out walking his dog Dizzy (after Disraeli), hadn't noticed the cameraman, and was waving to a friend. He had gone to his sister's home in Weston super Mare when he heard the allegation was about to be aired, to lie low for the weekend, and was on his way back to London. 
After he left, the young lad behind the bar asked the question:
"Was that someone famous, sir?"
I told him that Mr Foot began his second spell in Parliament at about the same time that the Beatles formed, and went on to become leader after James Callaghan, resigning after losing the 1983 election. He was a man of letters, a journalist, a scion of a political family, and a skilled orator.

Answering his next question, I then explained that the Beatles were a once-popular four-piece musical combo from Liverpool. Do they teach them nothing at school?

[BerkshireBugsy]

Ok not knowing Michael Foot I can possibly understand but the Beatles?

Probably one of the most famous original boy bands

[GBM]

I have been a member of this forum for over a year, and realise that I have not properly introduced myself, except to a few members in person over drinks once. Very nice bunch they are, too!  All rite fer sum, innit.

My name is Tony, and I am slightly above average height. I am a civil servant, and have lived in Bristol since 1977. I was born in Oldham, moved to Blackpool aged 14, and have also lived in Redruth and Camborne, working most memorably in a tin mine (South Crofty) for a while. Good redeeming features then.

I'm pleased I understand references to Beatles; VHS, Michael Foot.  Fortunately my children grew up shortly towards the end of those era's, so tolerate my harking back to the "old" days.
Thanks for the memories.

[TonyK]

Probably one of the most famous original boy bands

Not in all parts of Temple Meads buffet, apparently.