SVR Gala - have a laugh at my expense!

[Boris]

In the Mid 60s my new wife, non train minded, and I were in Germany in the Mosel Valley and I decided a good spot to take pics' was on the Coblenz - Trier line at the Keiser Whilhiem Tunnel.

Arrived there and found the best spot was about 100 yards along a banking with nettles about a foot high.

New wife went first,bless her, and I followed with the camera.

Had a wonderfull day there, red hot sun, no steam, but plenty of action.

Best was there was a gang working in the tunnel and a watchman at our end with a claxon who warned his men, and us, every time a train was coming.

At lunch time they all trooped off and when they came back passed us two bottles of beer
ice cold and refused payment.

Seems the watchman was an ex driver who had failed his eysight test some months before.

Also he had visited London, Birmingham and Sheffield at 4000 feet but never stayed long

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

The last bit of your story reminds me of one I heard at Duxford.

I was nattering to one of Sally B's ground crew (The B17, not the BBC Traffic Presenter!) who told it me.

German Air Traffic Control had gone through the handover procedures and the young chap on the radio asked of the type of plane. The two pilots looked at each other in the cockpit and replied "Boeing B17-G Flying Fortress.!

There was a brief pause.

"Welcome to German airspace, you are clear to contiue on your present course and altitude. You will be glad to hear that there is no flak over Cologne today!"

Mayne the searchlights were responsible for you friend's eyesight, Boris?