Web Hosting
Ive paid for a reseller web hosting package and now offering web hosting packages, initially targetting the multimedia students who need web space for their second/third year projects.

[Edit] – http://www.ewales.info

Job
After finishing my BSc Computer Networks degree in the Summer 2007, I started a Higher/Further Education Teacher Training in the same University. After wasting 3 months of my life doing this I decided it wasnt for me during the Christmas holidays so started looking for full-time employment.

So after a few interviews and companies letting me down I finally started working full-time for an IT Solutions provider (edit: name omitted) in Shrewsbury as a Junior Software Developer in March 2008.

Day to day tasks include digging into the software they develop to replicate bugs that have been reported by end users, which sometimes mean I could be playing with SSIS Package, SQL Server 2000 or SQL Server 2005 or a front end fix which means I would use C#.NET.

ACL Editor and Simulator
Sales of the Editor are going well, currently with no advertising of the application and leaving Google to its own devices and word of mouth, Im quite happy with its progress. I currently haven’t been able to find any time to add features or even make a start on the project “ACL Import” which would import current ACLs into the Editor. Maybe some wet weekend I will don’t worry!

Home Network
Unfortunatley the Home Network is no more, because my parents have decided to move house, which means my 42U Rack is up for grabs if you can pick it up from Anglesey, North Wales you can have it.

Llangollen Diesel Group
Currently the LDG have all their mainline diesel loco fleet for sale due to many things going on in the background. I cant go into this much at the moment but will put more details online when Im allowed to.

Day 1
http://martinperry807.fotopic.net/c1322944.html

Day 2
http://martinperry807.fotopic.net/c1323658.html

Day 3
http://gallery.garethevans.info/main.php?g2_itemId=1004

After travelling at 25mph (line speed) along the line we reached Glyn and decided to drop the whole freight train off there instead of continuing to Carrog on the ballast run as we were soaked due to the heavy rain!

After running around and some shuting we were heading back to the yard……and MP left me drive from here.

So I drove from Glyn, to Llangollen Goods Junction, we crossed over by the ground frame to the yard line, propelled the two guards vans into Pentrefelin C&W Works and then drove back into Llangollen loco yard.

Then had a brew! We finished early since it was really chucking it down. With all that rain you would of thought I would of been clean…..was I hell!

The ballasting may have to wait until next Thursday instead.

7 AM ish – Left the house and drove towards Llangollen, arrived about half 7, changed into my overalls and headed towards the cab of 37240 to put my bag of food and coat in there. 8 o clock passes.

Martin arrives and we head towards the 12Ton Crane (below) and after firing her up and setting the points in the yard we headed towards Goods Junction Signal Box, but first we had to get out of the yard and onto the main line.

By the Ground Frame at Goods Junction Signal Box (called “Pentrefelin Ground Frame” on the Signal Box Plan)

So after inserting the Token Key, pulling Lever 1 to release the Ground Frame, Lever 2 to put the main Signals Back, Lever 3 to Unlock the Facing Point Lock (FPL), Lever 4 to Change the Point, Lever 3 to Lock the FPL and 5 to Change the ground signal. Then the train could move from the Goods Line (Top Orange – Labelled “Siding”) to the Main Line (Blue Line) towards Berwyn. Then I had to reverse the levers to put the points and signals back. so Lever 5, Lever 3, Lever 4, Lever 3, Lever 2 and Lever 1 (To put the signals back to danger, Unlock the FPL, throw the point , lock the FPL, put the main Signals back and unlock the token), then hopped back on the Crane and off we went towards Berwyn.

As we climbed the incline into Berwyn station we saw two other people on the line, waiting for us. We ended up lifting many sets of sleepers along the line using the crane, to by the side of actual station – to create a solid flat foundation for a skip to be placed. Then we moved some more wooden sleepers further up the line and some platform edging and nearly taking down the phone line – If I hadn’t noticed it and signalled for Martin to stop we would of!

After that, we headed back to Llangollen – where we had to traverse the crossover again, using the same Ground Frame and back towards the Yard but we were asked to lift and move a cab of a Black 5 Steam Engine on the way in, which we did and placed it onto the chassis which was waiting outside the shed. Easy. Job Done, now to start on the silencer of the 47! Cup of tea first though!

So after a nice cup of tea we started on the 47, we had a look at what needed doing. Rather dark inside the Engine room of a Class 47 without the lights on! Martin opened up the panels on the roof so we could access it and get more light/air inside and this is when things got mucky! After a few hours of trying to get bolts off which haven’t been undone in over 30 years which also included snapping a few we finally got another roof panel off! The silencer, wasn’t moving today – at all.

So we called it a day and went to see if the Class 20 (D8142) would start after having new batteries fitted. It did and Martin let me drive….under supervision of course and I drove the loco from the Yard to Pentrefelin Dock and back up to the Yard.

It was so nice having 1000hpof diesel engine in your hands, it was similar to  badly delayed clutch control while playing with the brakes and power handle coming back into the Yard.

Now to wait until Saturday where 37240 is out on a Driver Experience run and I shall be watching the secondman to see what I can learn!

I felt alright having 120 tonnes above me, bit cramped as the pit wasn’t “full height” as it’s mainly used for the steam engines. We started to grease/oil parts of the brake hanger gear making sure they could be loosened and tightened manually. With 6 on each bogie and each loco having two bogies, there’s a total of 12 on each loco. We had to loosen each one, add some grease/oil, then tighten each one. 8 were loose enough to be moved by single man-power, 1 with a few added taps of a hammer and 3 by gas cutting torch and once some heat had been applied they finally moved and we greased/oiled them too. At this point I was absolutely filthy but we got the job done.

After dinner, we moved 37240 down onto the ramp outside the Yard and Mr C started her up………..noise + black fumes + more noise + more fumes = awesome!! I will record it one day!

After some brake tests, to make sure the loco air brakes were fine and working, the train vacuum brake were fine and working, then seeing if it would “take power” and repeated in the second cab…..we took 37240 for a short ride – only down to Pentrefelyn Dock, switched cabs and headed back up into the Yard and put 37240 “to bed”.

In the meantime Mr F and JKW had been working on The Black Pig, swapping batteries mainly, but unfortunately JKW had to call it a day before he got to see The Black Pig taking power and moving!! Which it hasn’t done since 2003/2004 so a really good day overall! So we got that out and moving around before we put everything to bed and calling it a day and popping into the chippy on the way home.