Another period of silence from me mostly because I’ve been busy with other commitments (Old Mother shrugged continues to improve) but also because very little has happened or at least nothing that hasn’t happened before.  We still don’t have enough TOps to cover everything, there is a big problem with absence at one of the depots –it’s currently HAI’s turn - the number of faults on trains while they’re in service is still noticeably higher under the current timetable and there are power still supply problems at various locations.  One nasty one is on the EB approach to SHB where on several occasions all four units have lost motors leaving the train to coast into the platform at a snail's pace before it came to a stop and I could hit the reset button..

The only thing that stands out is the wildlife.  A few weeks ago up towards the rabbit kingdom between DEB-THB I was scanning the trackside for bunnies when I saw something that looked like a deer, about the size of a small dog or a fox.  I did a bit of checking online and found that there have been sightings of Muntjacs in Essex but last week halfway between SNA and LES on the WB I saw another, unmistakeably a small deer climbing up the embankment from the cable run.

Keep your eyes peeled on the EPP branch, animal lovers, there’s Muntjacs about.