Samsung Armani P520 Mobile Phone

This phone arrived todayas an upgradeand I have to sayI am really impressed with it.Ihave to admit that initially I was awas a little wary of the 'designer'Giorgio Armani marketing hype surrounding it's release and expected to be disappointed but it is a good phone with some excellent features.

The packaging is as you would expect with Armani behind the styling. The box aloneis a masterpiece in itself andcontains all the usual samsung accessoroes plus four exclusive armani accessories - a leather case, an accessory bag for your headset and data cable, phone bag and a screen wipe. All of these, including the charger are coloured Armani - a dark sensuous chocolate hue instead of the customary black.I love the design. The touchscreen interface is a dream to use.This phone has loads of features that will appeal. The MP 3 player and camera are good, battery life is good and there are options to customise too.

The new Croix touch screen interface has put Samsung in a league of its own. It is so easy to use.

Drawbacks - there is no radio but the MP3 player quality really makes this a minor point. It would have been good to have seen this released in different colours too but I guess the Armani contract restricted this.The case is a standard case with Armani styling. I would have liked to have seen a battery case like the P300, P310 and F300. Thecase style allows for this. I am surprised Samsung did not include this as a feature

Anyone who liked the P300 and P310 will love this phone. I would recomend you buy a screen protector - a good one - especially if you are looking to resell later. This is a touch screen phoneso you will need to protect it as much as possible from smearsand scratches.

Overall the Samsung Armani is a better phone than theF700 in terms of design, features and like most Samsung phones it is easy to use. Ladies dont be put off by the masculine colours - this is an ideal one for us to use. It's light, small and very sexy in design. I reommend this phone. Excellent!

Improve Your Searches Maximise the eBay Search Engine

If you've spent any time searching the eBay website at all, you know that there are a lot of items for sale on eBay. Millions of them, in fact. Choice is always good, but if you're like most users, sometimes you'd rather have the search result listings you want rather than seemingly endless pages of items that merely happened to match the word you typed in the search box. And what if you're potentially looking for multiple related items? Do you really have to run multiple searches to find them?

By using a few simple techniques, you can make your searches more specific, more flexible, and easier to navigate all at the same time. And by doing so, you can save yourself an awful lot of time as a buyer.

Searching for Multiple TermsTo search for listings that contain any of several terms (rather than all of them), enclose your search terms in parentheses and separate them by commas. Consider the following search examples: teapot cups saucersIf you type these three words into the eBay search box, you'll get only results that include all of the words in their titlelistings that are selling teapots and cups and saucers at the same time. You won't, however, see listings that are just selling any one of them.

(teapot,cups,saucers)By listing the terms in parentheses separated by a comma, you can get eBay to list items that use any term in their title. You'll see listings for teapots and/or listings for cups and/or listings for saucers in your results.

(teapot,cups,saucers) (dutch,china)As you can see, you can also use multiple sets of terms in parentheses. A search like this one will find item listings that contain one or more of the first group of terms and also one or more of the second group of terms.The search box allows you to string together as many terms inside a set of parentheses and as many sets of terms enclosed by parentheses as you please

Sometimes you don't just want more results or more flexible resultsyou also want more specific results. Usually this means that some things came up in your search results that you don't want to see. When this happens, you can cause eBay to exclude those items by adding a related to your search with a hypen (-) in front of it. Consider the following exclusions: (teapot,cups,saucers) (dutch,china) -vintageBuilding on our previous example, this search returns all of the listings that are for a teapot, cups, or sauchers and that also include either the word "dutch" or the word "china," but it excludes any results that contain the word "vintage."

(teapot,cups,saucers) (dutch,china) -vintage -antique -turquoise -jade -handmadeThis tool, too, can be used multiple times in a single search. This one is identical to the previous one except that it also excludes any listings for items that are "antique," made out of "turquoise" or "jade," or that are "handmade."As you can see, by using parentheses and hypens, you can create fairly complex searches for eBay to carry out on your behalfand you can save yourself a lot of time you'd otherwise spend filtering through results that you didn't want.

Searching Item DescriptionsSometimes, when you want the absolute greatest number of results possible within your criteria, or when you're searching for an item that you think sellers may have listed in various ways, it can help to search not only for items' titles, but also for words in their descriptions. Each time you run a search, you'll notice a checkbox just below the search box on your results page that's labeled "Search title and description." To run your search again, but search through the item descriptions (i.e. entire listings) rather than just through the titles of listed items, check this box and click the "Search" button again. You'll get a much longer list of results that still match the criteria you've already given.

Narrowing By CategoryOnce you have run a search, whether just by title or also by description, you can narrow your search results by eBay category using the list of related categories shown at the left edge of the results page. Simply click on any of the listed categories to re-run your search only for that category.

By combining a well-formed set of search terms and exclusions with a specific category, you can produce search results that are amazingly flexible, specific, and complete.

For further illustration, here are some additional complex examples for you to evaluate. As you study the search terms for each, try to predict what results the search will return before clicking on the search or reading its description.

digital camera body (nikon,canon,olympus) (d70,10d,e-1) -strap -caseThis search will find several models of digital camera bodythe Nikon D70, the Canon 10D, or the Olympus E-1and will at the same time exclude listings that have the words "strap" or "case" in them, like "Nikon D70 digital camera body strap" or "Olympus E-1 digital camera body case."

dvd (disney,dumbo,aladdin,the little mermaid) -widescreen -playerThis search will find DVD listings that include the words "disney," "dumbo," "aladdin," or "the little mermaid," and will exclude any results that contain the term "widescreen" or "player."

winter coat (girls,womens,juniors,female) -fur -leather -vintageThis search will find winter coat listings that are "girls," "womens," "juniors," or made for a "female," while excluding any listings for coats made out of "for" or "leather," or that are listed as "vintage.".Study the examples on this page and try out some complex searches on your own.

You'll soon find that you can search the eBay website like a pro!

Sony HDR-SR5E HD Camcorder

At first glance, the unit's overall design doesn't look particularly noteworthy, but closer inspection reveals a classy exterior. A tough plastic slider protects the unit's component jacks rather than the cheap rubber flap you would normally expect to find. In terms of weight, the HDR-SR5E comes in at over half a kilogram, which is enough to keep your footage reasonably steady without burdening your arms.We found the touch screen controls to be responsive and user-friendly, with the majority of features easy to locate in the menu. For those who prefer to just point and shoot however, the included 'easy' button makes things even simpler; with the camera automatically adjusting modes and settings to suit your environment. We would therefore recommend this model to novices and older/younger users who find camera menus difficult to navigate.More adventurous users will find plenty of adjustable settings on this unit, including the excellent Smooth Slow Record function which records footage at a quarter of its usual speed. This is a very handy mode for athletes who want to study their technique, such as tennis serves, without any motion blur. Another noteworthy playback feature is Face Index, which automatically detects faces in a moving image and displays them on the touch screen as thumbnail images. In addition to these helpful features, the HDR-SR5E also has adjustable shutter speeds, white balance modes, a selection of digital effects and manual focus.Like Sony's other hard disk-based handycams, the HDR-SR5E attaches to an included docking station which doubles as a battery charger and data transferring device. This allows you to transport your files to a TV or computer for viewing and editing purposes. Making DVDs of your video footage is a simple one-step procedure thanks to the handy 'disc burn' button located on the docking station. However, if you plan to extensively edit your footage, you will need to purchase editing software that supports high definition video

Trampoline safety enclosure

Beware when choosing, I bought the 10ft trampoline and enclosure from woolworths last summer, my kids loved it unfortunatly the slightest tug on the net and the ties snapped meaning the net was not as safe as it should be.

i love my bugaboo!!!

i have 6 children ranging from 16years to 5 months.over the years i have had sooooooooooooo many prams/pushchairs and travel systems.ive had just about every make and model there is,marmet,silver cross,mothercare,graco,chicco,bebecar,bebeconfort,maclaren,emmaljunga,jane,quinny,mamas and papas,britax,but the best ive ever had has to be the bugaboo cameleon.its fab!!

when i first saw them,i have to say i really wasnt that keen,i thought they seemed too expensive for not alot of pram.but when i was recently looking for a smaller pram for my little baby (i bought an emmaljunga smart duo combi for her when she was born but that was just too big and bulky for the car..great for walking though!)i saw the cameleon.i loved the pink,but still wasnt sure about the pram itself.

my cousin had her baby just before me,and she had bought one and said how great it was.so i took the plunge and bought one off ebay (brand new from justkiddingonline,got the maxi cosi carseat with it for the same price that you usually pay just for the pram!)i thought even if i didnt like it,id probably get near enough back what i paid for it if i put it back on ebay (thats another goodthing about bugaboos,they hold their value)

the day came and it arrived!and from the minute it was all put toether i loved it!!its light to push,the height adjusting handle is great,the colour is lovely and my baby looks cosy in there!the carrycot is huge,and will accomodate until quite big (it says until 6 months,but as it is so big i should think you could add a couple of months onto that,especially if your little one is in no rush to sit up).

it was easy to put together,abit fiddly working out how to fold,but once you know how its soooo easy!it doesnt fold up small,as it comes in two bits to fold,so make sure your boot is big enough!

the other great thing about this pushchair is that if i get bored of it,i can just get another set of fleeces in a different colour and its like having a new pram again!!

the accessories are great aswell.you can get snow wheels to change from the small front wheels,the footmuff is fab (got mine 2nd hand off ebay!)and you can get a cup holder aswell,oh and you can a matching parasol,or a breezy hood and sunshade,and the changing bag is massive!!plus you can co-ordinate it with the colour of your pram.

theres so much more to this pushchair than meets the eye!yes,it is expensive,but if you look you can get a really great 2nd hand one.although like i say,they do hold their value so still be prepared to pay a few hundred pounds for one!!

forgot to say aswell,you can get adapters so that you can add a carseat.maxi cosi carseats fit,aswell as the mamas and papas primo viaggio (seen someone selling the adapters for it on ebay!)

once again,i think this is just the best pushchair around today,i just wish i had got one sooner...id have saved alot of money!!!

FAKE GILLETTE BLADES

I recently bought some Gillette Fusion Power blades from a seller who at the time had nearly 500/100% positive feedback. He had also only sold these blades and no other products. On this basis I should have had no issue with the blades being genuine.However after ten days they hadn't arrived, and after looking at his feedback, I noticed a couple of remarks about them being fake. When they eventually arrived I noticed that the blades were very loose and uneven. I also checked them against www.fakeblades.com to discover that they should have a serial number; which they didn't. I openeded a Paypal dispute which I immediately escalated to to a claim. I later notified the seller of my actions and my reasons. The seller didn't contest, and even told me to keep the blades; which I later sent to Gillette. I eventually received confirmation from them that they were counterfeit, and was also sent a 5 voucher for new blades.My advice would be to ask if the blades have a serial number before purchase. Any genuine seller should know if they do or not. Also ignore sellers claiming they won't accept returns if the product has been opened. If you believe they may be fake go straight to Paypal and open a claim, and unless they ask for them to be returned, send them to Gillette for disposal and you may get a voucher too.

ps3 60gb

I've been ripped off buying a PS3 60GB - don't get ripped off too!

1. Look at the feedback - don't buy from sellers with no or little feedback.

2. Look at the sellersprevious transactions - if they're in a short space of time and for small amounts - alarm bells should ring!

3. Pay with Paypal - from a trusted ebayer and get the 500 protection.

4. How long has the seller been a member? Look for well established sellers who have something to lose if they receive bad feedback.

Don't be stupid like I was!

Basic Tools For Stamp Collecting

There are no specific tools used for stamp collecting. However, great majority of collectors used few helpful tools that are essential for making a stamp collecting hobby hassle free, and it also minimize damage infliction to your collections.

Most postage stamps enthusiasts like to invest in a few items for the better display, preservation and inspection of their stamp collections. Here are some of the most commonly used materials and tools for stamp collecting.

1. Magnifying glass - Gives you a magnified view when picking postage stamps from envelopes, it minimizes damage infliction. There are also Magnifying glasses available that include LED lights built into them giving you greater visibility when using them to identify small faults of flaws.

2. Microscope with light box allows you to get right up close, I like to use one produced by "Lumagny" which has 50x magnification the strength of this extreme magnification allows you to view the pores in the paper of the stamp.

3. Stamp tongs with rounded tips also known as Tweezers - helps prevent damage and stains from skin oils and rough handling.

4. Perforation gauge - Also known as an odontometer. Use to measure the perforation of postmarks.

5. Archival stockbook/stamp album with clear plastic pockets - This is one of the safest means of postage stamps storage. By using this, your collections will be free from humidity, light, and heat.

6. It is also advisable to invest in glassine envelopes for storing your extra stamps. These envelopes are made for stamp collecting and they are semi-transparent. The glassine material is found to have no harmful effects on the stamps it stores.

7. Bottle of Shellite also known as lighter fluid, I like to use this to detect hard to see watermarks in the stamps.

First pour a small amount of Shellite onto the back of a stocksheet or onto cardboard.

Using Tweezers/Stamp tongs place the stamp onto the Shellite face down, Look for the Watermark as soon as the stamp has been placed into the Shellite, as the Shellite evaporates quickly so you also need to be quick. In this example you can clearly see the watermark of the stamp in the Shellite which is a small multi watermark.

Do not attempt to move the stamp until the Shellite evaporates, once the Shellite has evaporates you are able to pick up your stamp and store it back with the rest of your collection.

This method of detecting watermarks using Shellite can be used on Mint stamps with full gum and the Shellite will not affect the gum on the reverse of the stamp. Just remember to wait for the Shellite to evaporate before trying to pick up your stamp.

Your postage stamps collection can be displayed whatever you want them to be seen, let it be by country, by topic, or even by size, such a way that it pleases your eyes and make stamp collecting a rewarding hobby for you.

Be Careful Of Fake Memory Cards!

Fake memory cards are on the market and can be obtained very cheap.

Do you know how to spot a fake one from a genuine one? How do you know the ones on sale or on promotion are not fake ones?

Chinese Take Away of Your Money

In this world there is never anything for nothing. The latest scam that has been offered to me is as follows:You receive an enquiry about acting as a Trading agent for a big Chinese based manufacturer or Distributor in Hong Kong. They want to send you lists of eBay items for sale, around 35 items per list, which you put up on eBay and manage for them. Buyers come along and buy these items, usually about 50 - 75 dollars each, and pay you by Paypal. You then take off 10% and your ebay costs and Bank transfer the balance of the money to China.Excellent you think, the Chinese Manufacturer will send the goods direct to the buyer, you don't have to stock them and you are making 350 dollars a day on sales. You'll be rich.Yes you would be but for one thing, the Chinese connection doesn't send the goods, they don't exist, you've put up a list that has sold goods, taken money for goods and the buyer is not going to get the goods. But how long before you find out you been conned. Well the Chinese connections sends you the lists over two or three weeks so you got hundreds of goods on sale, the money starts coming in and you send lists back to China telling them what to ship, they are not going to ship till you pay them anyway so you Bank Transfer the funds every Thursday.Well it will be about seven thousand dollars later and around four weeks that you find you been conned. The Chinese connection has your bank transfers, you have 10% of your sales plus eBay costs and an awful lot of angry customers which you start to refund in full. Your loss - 110% plus eBay costs of everything you put up on eBay!!If you missed the scam where people were sending out false Western Union Money Orders for goods, and they got caught after duping hundreds of people you were lucky. Don't get involved in this one. If you are a Trading Assistant think every offer out carefully and NEVER ever offer to sell goods on eBay unless you can verify the goods and never sell for an overseas client unless the goods are here in the UK first.The Chinese takeaway in this case is your money!! Please be warned.

choosing maternity wear on a budget

Yes we only wear it for 9 months or so they say but some times not as long but then it all depends on how you feel and look after the birth..I have brought new and used clothes and with each of my children i have breast fed so always want comfy clothes which also were not see through as with breast feeding you do tend to leek milk slightly or so... If you have already had children you may find a bump appearing early on and don`t want to buy maternity wear ,,this is where you can just buy some elasticated trousers or skirt ,,any loose fitting clothing really,,, and just get a size or 2 difference to what size you normally wear...You still can look good and spend less....And when choosing a bra this is a must ,, get down town and get fitted with the right size,, if you don`t want to buy a bra there due to price etc.. you can always make an exscuse and buy on ebay where the prices are good..Shoes need ot be sensible too as you will be carrying more weight than normal.. good luck..

Iraqi Dinar - 27 Dec 2007

The 2 guides written about the Iraqi Dinar that say the investment is a bad idea are a little out of date. The one with the most views is actuallyborrowed fromanother siteand was writtenover 3years ago. Alot has changed since then!!!

Both state that the Dinar cannot be exchanged at banks. This simply is not true!! You get in touch with Barclays, RBS, Natwest or Halifax and ask to buy Iraqi Dinar. I've bought from Barclays and they will buy it back. Not sure about USA banks as I don't live there,but I know Chase deal with Dinar.

One of the old guides says that the Dinar is valued at 1460IQD = 1USD. Nope!!! It currently trades at 1216IQD = 1USD. So if you'd bought at the time you would've made money. Not alot, but still profit. Check the CBI (central bank of Iraq)website for up to date and accurate exchange rates.

From what I can gather,the sanctions on Iraqhave pretty much all been lifted and I believe the last (and possibly most important)of those is to be removed VERY soon. 31 Dec 2007. The war debt is a debt for the USA, not Iraq. The pre war debt has largely been written off with help from the IMF. One guide asks why a country would invest in a country that failed to pay back old debts, if you do some quick research, you'll find thatIraq still owes Kuwait money, yet Kuwait are still offering help to Iraq.

HSBCthought it a good idea tobuy 70% of Dar Es Salam bank in Iraq, and that was a year or 2 ago. Just because what you see on the TV is bad, it doesn't mean nothing good is going on out there. Every investment is risky. Even buying property here in the UK! What if you buy today and next month prices crash! Probably won't happen, but would you bet your life on it?

At the end of the day, the Iraqi Dinar is a risky investment, however no one can say for sure what will happen. If you're reading this you're obviously considering the IQD as an investment. My advise is to ignore XE.com as their talk on the Dinar isvery much out dated. Search the net for newinfo and up to datefacts and make your own mind up rather than doing as someone else says. I have no idea which way this will go, but I am in it to win it. I follow the rule, don't risk more than you can afford to lose.

I have nothing to gain from this guide. I do not sell Dinar and the Dinar I bought I got from Barclays bank. I just want you todo your own research rather than trusting any ofthese guides.

POORLY PACKAGED NIGHTMARES .....

a DISTURBING new trend ....

Whilemost eBay sellers take care and pride in their packaging, especially of fragile objects,there are a growing number who skimp in an effort to save money on the actual postage cost and add to their profits.

Personally I collect Clarecraft Discworld items, and during the last six months of 2007 I seem to have had more and more of thesefragile items arriving damaged and broken - and while most sellers are willing to refund for this, there are a growing number who either ignore communications or blame the postal services.

what can YOU do?

So, what can you do if a seller only offers a 'standard' postal charge and does not offer any additional insurance? You can contact them as request the extra service - but there is no guarantee that they willagree to this.

Now, what about those sellers who inflate their postal charge, then send it by the cheapest route with inadequate packaging - and then will not refund? Well, there are several things you can do - firstly, if the usual forms of contact have been ignored, report them via theDispute Console. If you have paid via PayPal then you should be able to get at least some of your lost costs back again. But be careful, there is a time limit on claiming (especially for PayPal).

If all else has failed you can leave a negative feedback. It is little compensation for the disappointment of a bad buying experience - but at least it warns other buyers of the possible dangers that lurk there!

a few precautions ...

Always check a sellers feedback score before buying .... but be warned, as I discovered last Christmas, sometimes aseller can appear to have good feedback - then something happens and they are no longer offering the excellent service they used to ...I went back to check when a damaged parcel arrived only to discover that a few days after I purchased an item from this sellera number ofserious negatives and neutralshad appeared.

So sellers - please, please, please make sure you package those fragile items properly - better more packaging and a slightly higher postage cost including insurance (either 'signed for' or 'next day' or '24/48 hour' delivery etc) than skimp and have collectable items arrive in a few more pieces than they were meant to be.

And buyers - dont try toget the postage so cheap that it is just asking for trouble, ask for insurance and be prepared to pay a reasonable rate toensure that fragile items arrive safely. If postal insurance or an insured route isnt offered it does no harm to ask!

THEN, HOPEFULLY, WE CAN ALL HAVE
A HAPPY EBAYING EXPERIENCE!

Playstation 3 DO NOT BUY A 40G PS3! Assassins creed inf

Just a little bit of information about the 40G PS3's YOU CAN NOT PLAY YOUR OLD PS2 GAMES ON THEM!!!

My friend brought a40G version and was so upset when he realized all hisPS2 games did not work on them!Although it may be cheaper to buy a 40G version the extra money is worth it to play the old games on! Also the smaller versions only have two controller ports instead of the 4 on the 60G versions!

The 60G version plays most of the ps2 games there are only a few that do not work!

Also another point, when playing any of the ps3 games for the first time, make sure you are connected to the internet so the latest versions of the game are installed!

"Assassins Creed" was almost unplayable due to freezing untill i updated the game!

Have a good x-mas everyone!!!!!!!

What is Digital Delivery A UK Buyers

eBay has thankfully provided a very useful page and this can be found below on how to sell items that use Digital Delivery.

pages.ebay.co.uk/help/sell/selling-digital-items.html

Dont forget to use the VOTE buttons below if you have found this Guide useful

HOWEVER. What eBay do not tell you is that this only works when selling on the Canadian, American or Australian eBay Sites. If you are selling from the UK then as long as you have SELLING MANAGER PRO you can choose to sell on another eBay site in PREFERENCES found in the left hand tab of MY EBAY. You can then sell on the USA eBay site, which allows you the freedom of selling via eBays Digital Delivery system, and saves the cost of another agent such as e-junkie.

You can of course list your item on the UK or Ireland site but you will not be able to use the eBay Digital Delivery method and must state in the item description that the item will be delivered to their email address.

BUYERSA Digital Delivery item means that it has the ability to be delivered to your eMail Inbox or via a link on the Internet. You can then click on the weblink and it will either take you to a page to download your item or the link will start the download immediately.

A lot of items can now be sold by using Digital Delivery. These include

eBooks,
Pictures,
Software Programmes,
Music Files and so on.

If you have bought or are considering buying an item which has in its description DIGITAL DELIVERY then you can access the file usually immediatelty after payment has been made via PayPal. Once you have paid you should be directed back to eBay, sometimes required to log back in, and then you are given the weblink to get access to your file. Dont worry if you dont get to see this page or you lose the bookmark, you can still get access to your download page information via ITEMS I WON in My Ebay. This only works on the old eBay setup and not the new Beta version. Next to the item you have bought that includes Digital Delivery you will see the drop-down menu on the right (where you can chose to leave feedback etc). One of the options in this dropdown menu should be VIEW DIGITAL DELIVERY. Simply click on this item and you can see the download page again.

This information is only possible for people who have bought something that has been listed on the USA, Canada or Australia eBay site. These 3 sites are the only ones that eBay currently have setup to use Digital Delivery. For other sites (usually UK or Ireland) you should check your Inbox AND junkmail folders of your email account registered with PayPal. This is probably where the link has been sent. A lot of sellers currently use a service known as e-junkie but this appears to be safe.

For sellers of Digital Delivery items the link below will tell you all you need to know. If you have any problems in selecting Digital Delivery as an option in the SELL YOUR ITEM form then in the description section click (OPTIONS) and you should be given an option to choose Sell Digital Item. This needs to be clicked and again when the SELL YOUR ITEM page reopens you need to select the checkbox again. At the bottom of the page you can then choose how the buyer will get the item, and select from the drop-down menu and where appropriate enter the web address of the item.

I hope that this guide has helped you work out the new sales method passing through eBay at present.

To have a glimpse at my store and see how I use Digital Delivery on all my items, please CLICK HEREor below on the name of the shop.

Free Satellite TV on PC Software

Dont forget to use the VOTE buttons below if you have found this Guide useful

Hot-eDeals

AVOID PAYPERDROP / WORK4 LTD COURIER!!!

For those who don't know Payperdrop (aka Work4 Ltd) are a reseller for DHL. In June 2007 I sent 2 parcels via these cowboys. Unfortunately 1 of these parcels was damaged by the courier. I am still waiting for compensation. Theircustomer service isshocking. Their last e-mail stated that they have never received a claim from me even though I sent it via Recorded Delivery and have proof. They no longer respond to my phone calls or emails. A Google search will reveal many similar problems from other customers. I only wish I had done more research before I used them.

Fishing Gifts for Game Anglers

What on earth do you buy for the angler who has everything? Here is a list of the top ten fishing gifts of all time. Suitable for a range ofbudgets from 5 to 250.

To search for the item on eBay simply click on Search eBayfor ITEM NAME below each item.

1. De-Barbing Pliers

Most fishers will covet a pair ofde-barbing pliers but make do with regular pliers to botch the hook barb. For less than 5 you can have a pair of Lureflash de-barbing pliers designed for the job! Much simpler!

Search eBay for DE-BARBING PLIERS

2. A Richard Wheatley Fly Box

Any Wheatley fly box makes a great gift but their 'Dinky Little Clips' box is a cracker at around 15

Search eBay for RICHARD WHEATLEY FLY BOX

3. Turrall's De-Luxe Match-The-Hatch Fly Box

Buying flies can be tricky but this selection from Turrall's beautifully presented in a stunningly tactile thumb grip magnetic locking fly box is a steal at about 40.

Search eBay for TURRALLS FLY BOX

4. Fly Tying Tool Kit

Even if you already have a fly tying kit then this little boxed number complete with all the tools at around 30 is a stunner.

Search eBay for FLY TYING TOOL KIT

5.Complete Starter Outfit

And for kids this little number from Shakespeare makes a great first outfit. At just over 20 it has everything for the beginner.

Search eBay for CHILDREN'S STARTER OUTFIT

6. Rapala

GBK car sales (Performance ) no way

Another warning here folks ,regarding the trader GBK performance or car sales please Do NOT deal with these people , I ordered two Vauxhall Vectra headlights and paid for them on the 22nd November 2007 , it is now 31st of January 2008 and nn headlghts or refund as yet! What have I done ? I have been to trading standards and they have advised me how to take these people to court, so am in the process now , but as regards ebay allowing these people to trade even after some of the comments on here is beyond me ! should not have happened ebay!!!!!! get a grip.

Your disputes procedure appears to be far too lenient on the trader and far, far too complicated for the everyday consumer on your site . And as regards your monitoring of these types of shady businesses - it does not appear to be very effective !!!!!!!!!!!!

How to Spot A Copy or Fake Pringle Jumper On Ebay

A Quick Guide to Buying An Authentic Pringle Goods: DemandA Tag Photo!

Pringle of Scotland is a luxury knitwear manufacturer. The brand is worn by the likes of Madonna, David Beckham, Nicole Kidman, Sophie Dahl, Claudia Schiffer and British bands such as The Kooks, The Arctic Monkeys Dirty Pretty Things and The Twang The company has stores in Londons Bond Street and Sloane Street, as well as in Japan and Taiwan and is sold by retailers in New York and Milan.

Authentic Pringle Jumpers

The 21st Century has seen a new lease of life on the Pringle V-Neck Jumper. Along with Lyle

Tombliboo In The Night Garden Mini Plush

I cannot believe the price people are selling the tombliboo plush for. I bought them in Argos for 4.99 each. Thats more of a reasonable price than most ive seen on ebay. Please shop around, ebay does deliver some good bargains, but it also rips people off.

DORA THE EXPLORER CLOTHES SIZES

GOOD OLD DORA THE EXPLORER STILL AS POPULAR AS EVER

I SELL TONS OF DORA THE EXPLORER CLOTHES AND TOYS I JUST WANTED TO WRITE A LITTLE GUIDE IN REF TO SIZING AND QUALITY

I LIVE IN UK AND SHIP MOST OF MY ITEMS FROM USA I PAY ALL THE IMPORT CHARGES ETC SO YOU DONT HAVE TO

SIZING GUIDE IS COMPLICATED FROM USA I HAVE BEEN RUNNING A SHOP FOR FOUR YEARS AND THIS IS HOW I DO IT

6X IS UK 6-7

6 IS UK 5-6

5 IS UK 5-6

5T IS UK 4-5

4 IS UK 4-5

4T IS UK 3-4

3 IS UK 3-4

3T IS UK 2-3

AND SO ON SOMETIMES THE CLOTHES LOOK A LITTLE BIGGER OR SMALLER IF THAT IS THEY CASE I SEND NEXT SIZE UP DOWN ETC I THINK THE USA PEOPLE GOT A SIZING SYSTEM ALL ON THERE OWN

THE QUALITY OF THE NICK JNR TOYS AND CLOTHES I FIND REALLY REALLY FANTASTIC I DRESS MY DAUGHTER IN IT AND SHE FINDS IT COMFY AND I KNOW FIRST HAND IT WASHES BRILLIANT

BIG THUMBS UP TO NICK JNR CLOTHING THEY CERTAINLY DONT SKIMP ON THERE QUALITY

Samsung LE40R88BD LCD review

I purchased one of these TV's for 619.99 recently. It's my first large LCD TV. My main use for the TV is standard def digital TV via a Sky box which it works well with. As expected, the picture is bright and clear but it does suffer with that slight blur to the image as most Hi-def TV's do with a standard def input.

However, connect it to a hi-def source (In my case, an Xbox 360 HD-DVD add on) and the image comes alive. The picture is amazing and so clear. In standard def the image can sometimes be slightly jumpy during fast moving scenes, but in high def mode, everything moves so smoothly. There are a range of inputs including Scart, Component and 2 x HDMI. Plenty for me at the moment.

As with a lot of large LCD/Plasma TV's, the sound isn't like you would expect from your standard CRT TV. In my opinion it has something to do with the fact there isn't any depth to the casing so the speakers are reduced in size. I could be wrong. There is bass but it can suffer when the volume is turned up high. Not ideal for playing your tunes out loud on. But, the majority of people won't be put off by this as it will connect nicely to a surround sound system.

Overall, I have owned this TV for around 3 months now and I am pleased with it. The only thing that does annoy me slightly is the strange pattern that appears when the Channel 4 logo comes up on the screen. It seems that whenever the background is almost completely white, anything in a darker colour develops a strange alternating pattern. At first I blamed it on my Sky box, but if you pause the image then start it again, the pattern stops?! It's hard to describe, but anyone who own's the TV will no doubt know what I mean, unless it's just a problem with mine that is!

If your thinking of buying one, go for it. You won't be dissapointed. Freeview is built in and the piano black frame makes it one of the best looking LCD's available.

What is a Whirlpool Bath?

What is a Whirlpool BathHow they workWhirlpool baths are operated by air and water. The suction of the whirlpool takes the water from the bath and into the pump. The motor then uses air to pump the water around the pipe work and out of the jets. Please Note: All the jets can be turned on and off individually. With the jets turned off, fill the bath with water, turn the whirlpool system on, and turn the jets clockwise.How they're made.How they are madeAll baths are fully manufactured before being sent to have a whirlpool fitted. All the pipe work for the whirlpool is then fitted to the bath and connected through the motor. The motor is operated by a pneumatic push button, and it also requires a supply of 240V, 13 amp, live, neutral, earth (additional exponential earth located on the side of the pump). Please Note: The exponential earth connection to the motor is in addition to the supply cord and must be carried out.How to look after them.How to look after themBaths should always be cleaned immediately after use, preferably whilst the water is running out and the bath is still warm. The film of insoluble soap products and grime that will otherwise harden on the side of the bath is easily removed at this stage. In hard water districts, insoluble lime salts are deposited below the waterline and under leaking taps. If this deposit is allowed to build up, it becomes increasingly difficult to remove, and looks unsightly. Prompt cleaning is again the answer. Hot soapy water and a cloth should be used and then the bath wiped dry. Abrasive cleaners MUST NOT be used on chrome or gold plated fittings.

Vincent Motorcycle - Black Knight Lightning Comet etc

Vincent Motorcycles

This is one of many illustrated classic motorcycle guides I've created for the community. I hope you enjoy it. If you wish to find out more about the classic Vincent motorcycle art featured in this guide please click here.

The Vincent-HRD Company Limited was based on the Old North Road in Stevenage, Herfordshire. Started by Philip Conrad Vincent, their superb machines became the superstars of the British post-war scene and for many, represent the pinnacle of the British industry's achievement. This guide details six Vincents from the post-war period, a time when the company's vee-twins were quite simply in a class of their own in terms of speed, strength and stability.

Vincent Rapide

The 1950 Rapide motorbike is unique in that it is the last machine to carry the Vincent HRD tank transfer, making it a series B model. It is fitted with the light-alloy bladed Girdraulic front forkwhich was introduced in 1950 when the initials HRD were dropped. All subsequent Rapides, Black Shadows, Lightnings, Knights and Princes bore only the name "Vincent". All these machines had 998cc engines, four speeds, dual carburettors and two brakes on each axle. The price of the Rapide in 1949 was 323 17s. It weighed approximately 460lbs, could top 110mph and had a consumption figure of around 65mpg.

Vincent Black Lightning

The Black Lightning was highly modified version of the Shadow built for racing. Its engine was tuned with TT carburettors and straight-through exhaust pipes. It had a rev-counter, but no kickstart, lighting eqipment or stands. Both wheels had alloy rims and magnesium alloy brake backplates, while the tyre sizes were 3.00 x 21 in. front and 3.5 x 20in rear. There were short alloy mudguards and a racing seat, which used the standard mountings. Only 27 are believed to have been made.

Vincent Grey Flash

Based generally on the Comet model, the Vincent Grey Flash racer was built to Black Lightning standards. It employed a specially enlarged and steamlined cylinder head with polished ports. Triple valve springs were used with lightened and polished rockers and cam followers and a special camshaft was also fitted. The series C Grey Flash could also be supplied as a fast touring model with lights, horn etc or the same completely equipped touring model with extra bits and pieces necessary for converting the model to racing tim.

Vincent Comet

Named after the model originally introduced at Olympia in 1934, the single-cylinder Comet was destined forever to be the poor relation of the Vincent big-twins. Virtually half of the vee-twin, with engine inclined, the Comet was assembled to Black Shadow tune, with a softer model called the Meteor also available. Despite pleasing performance and near vibratin-free running, the Comet was not a big seller. By comparision to the good-looking vee-twin, the machine looked unbalanced and potential buyers turned away to conventional singles from the bigger factories.

Vincent Black Shadow

As an ultra-high performance mount for the connoisseur, the hand built Vincent Black Shadow was the post-war equivalent of the Brough Superior. Its 998cc vee-twin produced an incredible mixture of high speed and docility made possible by a compression ratio of only 6.45 to 1 and a top gear ratio of 3.5 to 1. At the designed maximum speed of 125mph, the engine shaft was turning at a lazy 5800rpm.

Vincent Black Knight

For 1955 Vincent unveiled something a little special in the form of the fully enclosed Series D range, with teh object of providing the discerning rider with a high-speed tourer; a two-wheeled Bentley as Phil Vincent put it. These machines represented a remarkable development for the time and created a sensation athe the Earls Court show that year. It has to be said though, that later, production problems arose with the mouldings eventually leading Vincent into difficulties. With their new clothes, there were new names; the Shadow became the Black Knight, and the Rapide, the Black Prince.

Thank you for reading my guide and I hope you found it interesting!

BSA 2nd - A75 Rocket 3, C15 Star,A50,A65SS Spitfire MK4

BSA Motorcycles 2nd

This is one of many illustrated classic motorcycle guides I've created for the community. I hope you enjoy it. If you wish to find out more about the classic BSA motorcycle art featured in this guide please click here.

For many years BSA was the giant of the British motor cycle industry and for a time also the biggestmotorcycle manufacturer on earth. Beginning life in 1862 as Birmingham Small Arms, the company diversified into making bicycles in the 1880s and went on to offer their first powered two-wheeler in 1903. This guide details six classic models produced by BSA during the 1960s, from the modest single-cylinder C15 to the powerful three-cylindered A75 Rocket III. Included also is the one and only DBD34 Gold Star, a machine widely regarded asthe ultimate British single and the most famous of all BSA models.

BSA C15 Star

The C15 motorbike, first introduced in September 1958 was, for many motorcyclists, their first taste of a "real bike". At only 280lb (127kg), the "Ceefer" offered an amazing power to weight ration; its punchy 249cc OHV engine produced 15bhp, revved freely up to its maximum 7,000rpm and yet behaved calmly at low speeds with an easy tick over. Top speed was 72mph.

BSA DBD34 Gold Star

The best known of all BSA motorbikes, the Gold Star was the chosen mount for any aspiring competition rider during the 1950s and early 1960s. The top of the range Clubmans models normally featured clip-on handlebars, swept-back exhaust, an Amal 1.5-in (38mm) Grand Prix carburettor and an RRT2 close ratio gearbox.

BSA A50 Star

As a replacement for the highly successful A7/A10 BSA models, the unit construction A50/A65 series arrived in 1962, representing a neat and tidy design with many improvements over the earlier twins.

BSA A65 Lightning Clubmans

The BSA Lightning Clubmans motor bike was introduced in 1964 as a special sporting version of the A65 twin. Capable of around 110mph (177kph) it was a fine machine, comparable to the equivalent Triumph or Norton models although it never achieved the same acclaim.

BSA A65SS Spitfire MK4

With the arrival of the Spitfire motor cyclein 1965, BSA truly entered the sport-twin fray. A development of the twin-carb A65L. Lightning, this single-minded beast featured vibrant red paintwork, alloy wheel rims, close-ratio gears, high-compression pistons and substantially less weight.

BSA A75 Rocket 3

The A75 Rocket III was launched in Britain in 1969. It featured three-cylinders, which had never before been offered on a mass produced motorcycle and radical styling with ray-gun silencers and slab-sided bodywork.

Thank you for reading my guide and I hope you found it interesting!

Formula 1 - Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill, Ayrton Senna etc

Formula 1

This is one of many illustrated classic F1 racing guides I've created for the community. I hope you enjoy it. If you wish to find out more about the classic F1 racing art featured in this guide please click here.

This guide features several legendary F1 drivers.

Satoru Nakajima

Satoru Nakajima was Honda's representative on the grid in the late eighties and was Japan's first regular Formula One Grand Prix driver. Ayrton Senna's team-mate at Lotus in 1987 and then teamed with Nelson Piquet in 1988 and 1989 (Lotus), Satoru was a worthy ambassador for the Honda company without posing a threat to his more highly regarded team-mates. His best finish was fourth at Adelaide in 1989 and his last two seasons were spent with the Tyrrell team before he quit at the end of 1991. His best finish in the championship was eleventh position overall in 1987 driving a Lotus. Total Grand Prix drives, 74. Since his retirement from Formula One, he has run a team in both Japanese Formula 3000 and Formula Three developing the next generation of Japanese racing drivers.

Andrea de Cesaris

World champion in karts and a strong contender in British Formula Three, Andrea made his Formula One debut with Alfa-Romeo in 1980. He soon became known for his somewhat unpredictable driving style racing for McLaren in 1981. 1982 and 1983 were spent with Alfa-Romeo, where he produced third place at Monaco (a race he could have won), before moving to Ligier for 1984. Two seasons with Ligier produced little so it was on to Minardi, then Brabham, then Rial, then Dallara, then Tyrrell, Jordan again and finally to Sauber before his Formula One career ended in 1994. The second most experienced Formula One driver behind Riccardo Patrese, although without a win. Best race result, a second place in the German Grand Prix of 1983 and finished eighth for the title overall in 1983. Total Grand Prix drives, 208.

Nigel Mansell

Nigel's Formula One debut was for Lotus in 1980 and his first Grand Prix victory was for williams in 1985. 1986 saw five Grand Prix victories yet through cruel luck, no title. An accident in qualifying ruined his title hopes again in 1987 after six wins and it was beginning to look as if Nigel Mansell was to be the "nearly man" of Formula 1. In a bold move to Ferrari in 1989 he won his first race and the instant adoration of the Italian fans, but only finished fourth. 1990 with Ferrari was a disaster finishing ninth overall so it was back to Williams and winning ways in 1991. Five wins however were not enough with Nigel still having to play second fiddle to Ayrton Senna's McLaren. Finally in 1992 it all came right, Mansell storming to nine victories in a Williams-Renault that was in a class of its own. He still drove magnificently. After moving to Indy Cars in 1993 and incredibly taking the title at his first attempt, Mansell returned to Williams mid-season in 1994 before joining McLaren in 1995. He retired after just two races.

Damon Hill

As a relatively late starter to car racing in 1984 with Formula Ford, Damon soon progressed into British Formula Three and then Formula 3000 before gaining his first F1 drive in 1992. Signed by Williams in 1993 to drive alongside three-time world champion Alain Prost, he gained three victories and finished third overall. Staying with Williams in 1994, this time with Ayrton Senna as team-mate, Damon was thrust into the role of team leader after the Brazillian's death and in a season burdened with Michael Schumacher's disqualifications closed a huge points gap to set up a grand finale at the Australian Grand Prix. Sadly for Hill, Schumacher's now famous chopping move just before mid-distance took out both himself and Hill, leaving Schumacher as champion by just one point. There were only four wins for Damon in 1995, enough to give him second place in the championship again.

Johnny Herbert

Johnny Herbert's talent was recognised when he won-from-the-back during the 1985 Formula Ford Festival. In 1987 he took the British Formula Three title and he was looking set for the 1988 Formula 3000 title when he suffered terrible leg injuries in a pile-up at Brands Hatch on the very day he had signed his Formula One contract with Benetton. Fighting back to health, Johnny produced an amazing fourth place on his Formula One debut. Joined Lotus in 1990 and stayed until 1994 before returning to Benetton in 1995 to race alongside Michael Schumacher, a year which brought two Grand Prix wins, the British Grand Prix at Silverstone and the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. Johnny finished fourth place overall in the championship with 45 points. In the last race at Adelaide he suffered a broken driveshaft on lap 70, with only 11 to go. Had he finished the race he could have easily finished third in the drivers' championship.

Martin Brundle

In 1983 Martin Brundle was racing in British Formula Three and made Ayrton Senna work very hard indeed for the title. For 1984 there was a Formula One drive for Tyrrell and after fifth place in his first Grand Prix in Brazil and a second to Piquet in Detroit the future looked good. Unfortunately at the next race Martin broke both ankles and later, to add insult to injury, Tyrrell were adjudged to be running illegal cars and all the teams results were cancelled. In 1986 he had four points scoring drives but 1987 was a disaster, after moving to Zakspeed. Drives for Brabham in 1989 and 1991 saw little improvement but signing for Benetton in 1992 was a good break and he finished sixth overall that year. For 1993 there was another move, this time to Ligier and a seventh place overall. He drove well again in 1994, this time for McLaren finishing seventh with two rostrum places. A return to Ligier was not very successful for 1995, Martin only achieving seven points in the Championship for an overall thirteenth position.

Michael Schumacher

After an eye catching debut in 1991, Michael was swiftly signed for Benetton where he became the key figure in the team's rise to the pinnacle of the Grand Prix world. It was soon clear that he possessed a special talent and during his first two seasons progressed rapidly to the position of pretender to Senna's throne. Sadly the terrible "black" weekend at Imola in 1994 saw the title pass to Michael Schumacher in the worst way possible; in the previous races he had shown that he had the car and the ability to stretch even Ayrton's talents to the maximum. In 1995 Michael Schumacher won the World Championship for a second time and became the first German to win his home Grand Prix since Rudolf Caracciola in 1939. Michael elected to move to Ferrari in 1996 taking the coveted "Number One" with him.

Ayrton Senna

Ayrton was a natural talent. He won kart races from the time he started competing at eh age of thirteen, was Brazilian champion as soon as he was eligible for the senior ranks and when he came to Britain in 1991, won his third race at Formula Ford 1600. After British and European Formula 2000 titles, it was onto Formula Three for 1983 before Formula One and the Toleman team in 1984. His first win came for Lotus the next year, finishing fourth overall. He finished fourth overall again in 1986, with two wins and in 1987 he was third in the championship. Quicker progress was needed and McLaren provided a car to meet Senna's needs. Eight wins in 1988 gave him the title. His second and third World Championship titles followed in 1990 and 1991. When, at the San Marino Grand Prix on the 1st May 1994, Ayrton lost his life after hitting a wall at high speed, the sport lost one of its greatest figures, the ultimate sportsman and the fastest Formula One driver the world has ever seen.

Eddie Irvine

British Formula Ford champion in the mid-eighties, Eddie excelled at Formula Three in 1988 before moving to Formula 3000 with the Pacific Racing team in 1989 and the Jordan team in 1990. No Formula One drives were forthcoming so for the next three seasons Eddie raced sports cars and competed in Formula Three in Japan. The Formula One debut came at Suzuka with a sixth place. In 1994 Eddie was teamed with Rubens Barrichello at Jordan but his involvement in a huge accident in the opening round saw him banned for a race, later extended to three races after his attitude at the hearing. Once back he raced well for the rest of the season. For 1995 Eddie stayed with Jordan and drove well for his ten points and twelfth place overall. In the Canadian Grand Prix at the Circuit Giles Villeneuve, he finished third behind Jean Alesi and team-mate Rubens Barrichello. It was Jordan's finest race achievement in their five-year Formula One history.

David Coulthard

After a very successful career in karts, David graduated to Formula Ford in 1989 and drove so well that he was awarded the McLaren/Autosport Young Driver of the year award. Beaten by Rubens Barrichello in both the GM Euroseries and the 1991 British Formula Three series, Formula 3000 was tougher going and only ninth place overall in 1992 for Paul Stewart Racing was disappointing. After an improvement to third overall in 1993, David became a Williams test driver. His Grand Prix debut came in 1994, moving up to the top formula following Senna's death in the San Marino Grand Prix. The best that year was a second place in Portugal. 1995 was a very commendable first full year of Grand Prix racing bringing his first win in Portugal and a string of podium finishes. It wasn't enough however to stop him from being dropped in 1996 in favour of Jacques Villeneuve, son of late, great French-Canadian Giles.

Thank you for reading my guide and I hope you found it interesting!

The HMV Model 102 Portable Gramophone Record Tray.

About the Author.

A member of the City of London Phonograph and Gramophone Society, I was given a portable gramophone at the age of ten and have now been collecting for over 50 years. I am not a dealer, but like all collectors I buy and sell items to vary and enhance my collection.

I have written this guide to help the beginner avoid paying too high a price for an HMV102 which may not be complete.

The Historical Background.

Introduced in 1931, the 102 was in some respects an improvement on it's predecessor the 101, but in the matter of record storage it was a step backwards. Whereas the 101 had a record storage compartment in the lid, the 102 had a detachable metal tray which sat on the turntable and was lined with matching cloth.

Before setting off on the family picnic, the 102 owner had to remove the chosen records from their sleeves before placing them in the tray, rendering them liable to damage from scuffing. Afterwards, the records would have to be reunited with their sleeves before being put away. This inconvenient arrangement frequently led to the record tray being discarded and subsequently lost, creating a problem for today's collectors.

Identification Features.

Early 102's have two metal pegs on the motor board, one each side of the turntable. These engage with the feet on the tray and prevent it from revolving when in transit. Later 102's dispensed with the pegs and featured a simplified tray without feet, until the tray was discontinued as a wartime economy measure. It was never reintroduced after the war, although the 102 remained in production until the late 1950's.

Buying a 102 today.

If you are bidding on an early 102 with pegs on the motor board, there can be no argument. It should have a record tray with feet. This was standard equipment and NOT an optional extra. If the tray is missing, make sure that this is reflected in the price you are prepared to pay. Record trays do appear on eBay from time to time, but they are not cheap. As previously explained, the situation in respect of later 102's is less clear cut and is probably beyond the scope of the beginner.

If you want an HMV portable gramophone to use outdoors on picnics or perhaps with your vintage car, you would probably be better off with a Model 101 which is undervalued in the current market. This or a gramophone from one of HMV's main competitors such as Columbia or Decca could be a wise purchase whilst prices are still affordable.

The make-up of Ancient Silver coins.

Not all Ancient Silver coins are made from solid silver.

This does not mean that the coin is either a fake or an ancient attempt to fake the coin. First of all, I will explain just what I mean by the coins not being solid silver when, for reasons explained soon, they perhaps should be.

To keep things as simple as I can I will take two Roman coin types as an example. The Denarius and the Antoninianus. In theory, both of these coins should be solid silver, especially the Denarius. However, this is not always the case.

The Silver Denarius.

A lot of silver Denarius are made up of solid silver, but there are a huge amount which are not. Some are made with a copper alloy core and are then dipped or washed in silver, hence the term 'silver wash' or 'silver dipped' this is all very normal and the coin is still classed as a silver coin. Some are made using 'debased' silver, again this was very normal practice. It is not always easy to tell if a Denarius is a solid coin or has been 'dipped'. But in either case you have not been robbed if you were to have bought one of these coins. It is still a very genuine coin. Take a look at the examples of Denarius below. The first coin, to the left, is solid silver. The second is 'washed' or 'dipped' silver. Both coins are 100% genuine and are both classed the same, as silver Denari.

The Silver Antoninianus, 'double denarius'

The silver Antoninianus, or more commonly known as 'Ants' are well known for being silver washed and very debased silver coins. Take a look at the three Ants below. From left to right, the first coin is a solid silver coin. The second is a copper alloy coin which has been 'washed' in silver. The third coin has become so debased that it just looks like a bronze coin, it has not even been dipped in silver, yet this third coin will still have a small amount of silver in it.

It is worth mentioning at this point that even some ancient Gold coins were not made from solid gold. Some of these coins, mainly the Roman Aureus, actually have an iron core and washed or dipped in a good layer of gold. But they are still genuine coins. Not fakes or forgeries either modern or contemporary. It is also worth a quick mention that some of these gold coins even had a lead core, these of course are contemporary forgeries.

So why have a silver coin with a non silver core?
And why make a silver coin which is so debased that it looks like a bronze coin?

The answer to both of these questions is pretty much the same. Lets take a short trip back in time. I just use the Roman period here as an example but the lack of silver in coins goes back much futher than the Romans, and indeed continuedupto resent times.

We must remember that like everything else, silver as well as gold, was a commodity. The Roman empire was vast and the Roman currency dominatedthat vast empire. Of course they had access to silver mines as well as the silver items taken in times of war as 'spoils'. There was no shortage of people to work in these mines and there was no issue with the production from raw materials to silver ingots. The real problems were things such as wars, there was always a war going on somewhere. Then there were times of famin and decease, there was also a lot of this going on behind the scenes too. The economy was not good at times.Problems with transporting ingots to the place of coin mints without them being robbed orlost. There were times when silver was just in short supply. So to overcome this problem coins were 'dipped' or 'washed' in silver.Towards the latter part of the empire as Roman grip on its vast empire was loosening, the coins tended to become more and more debased as supplying silver became a lesser priority over ensuing battles with Barbarians.

So thats basically why you getthese types of silver coins. They are 100% genuine and not fakes, in thiscontext at least.

1792MB and 2GB Video Card Information

As any PC enthusiast will be well aware, the new ATI/AMD Radeon HD 4870 X2 video card has been released to a plethora of rave reviews all praising it's phenominal performance in most games. However, this does come at a bit of a price and people should be made aware of these prices if they are considering purchasing this behemoth.

Firstly, the card is power hungry. AMD/ATI list a minimum of a 650 watt PSU to power this beast. I would recommend reading my Power Supply guide if you haven't already with regards to power requirements. This card is the most demanding in terms of power requirements by some margin. The performance of this monster needs to come from somewhere after all.

The second is one that may not be so obvious. Most people are using 32-bit Operating Systems, such as Windows XP Home or Professionaland standard versions of Windows Vista (Home Basic, Home Premium, Business or Ultimate). This is fine, since this card will work perfectly well on such a PC, but it may not be the greatest idea. As my guide to using 4gb RAM points out, a 32-bit Operating System can utilise a maximum of 4gb total system memory, which is the sum of the system RAM, the video RAM (on the video card itself) and if you have an X-Fi sound card, the X-RAM found on that too. This card has 2gb video RAM, meaning it will use up half the maximum total that a 32-bit OS can address, leaving you with a maximum of 2gb system RAM which you can use (less if you have an X-Fi sound card). With games becoming more and more demanding in terms of system requirements, some already needing 2gb as a minimum to play well (note, this is different to listed minimum system requirements which often mean little more than what is needed just to get the game to start), you can see that this may present a bit of a problem. In this scenario, a 64-bit OS (Windows XP x64 Edition or any 64-bit version of Vista) would be preferable, although it is not vital.

Where a 64-bit OS does become vital is if you intend to build a monster of a gaming PC and use two of these cards in a CrossFire X setup. With two of these cards, you will obviously have 4gb video RAM, so with a 32-bit OS, that leaves nothing at all for system RAM, or even X-Fi X-RAM. The result is Windows will not work. You MUST have a 64-bit Operating System to use two Radeon HD 4870 X2's in CrossFire X, it's as simple as that. The second thing to consider with regards toCrossFire X is the enormous power requirements. While you don't have to double the required wattage to run two 4870 X2's in CrossFire mode,it is recommended to have an 850 watt PSU at a minimum. Not to mention that the PSU will need toprovide a good supply of amps on the 12v rail(s).

The Radeon HD 4870 X2 is one seriously impressive piece of kit, and hardcore gamers will desperate to get their hands on them, but keep in mind the requirements or you could be heading for a lot of disappointment.

*UPDATE*

Time for an update on this, hence the new and more appropriate title. At the time this guide was written, the Radeon HD 4870 X2 was the only 2gb graphics card available. Now there are several more, such as the new Radeon HD 5970 and 2gb versions of the Radeon HD 4890, 4870 along withforthcoming 2gb versions of the 5870 and 5850. Nvidia cards are also available with large amounts of RAM installed, such as the 2gb version of the GTX 285 and GTS 250. Whileothers do not have as much as 2gb, they come close enough to be worth inclusion of this guide with 1792mb. These cards includeGTX 295 as well as some versions of the GTX 275 andGTX 260.

West German ceramic marks and FAT LAVA guide

Hello ceramic collectors, this is a small collectors guide for West German ceramic marks and FAT LAVA pottery:This mark gallery is still under construction. For now a small overview:Cortendorf:facts: white clay, two differnt marks: "C with crown" or "COR in oval" -differnt years of productionThey produced dishes, figures and many other things...Waechtersbach (Waechtersbach):facts: red/brown clay, often: impressed "shield mark", sometimes: printed "shield mark", sometimes: name of the decorThey produced dishes, vases and many other things....-Keramik (Ue-Keramik or Uebelacker):facts: white/fawn clay, impressed and moulded numbers, often: wider numbers than other manufactures-Keramik is frquently confused with Bay, Ruscha, Jasba and Jopeko.Roth:facts: light and dark red clay, impressed numbers, sometimes: 0,5 l (capacity), sometimes: Made in W. GermanyRoth is frequently confused with Soendgen.Ruscha:facts: white/fawn clay and light red clay, impessed and moulded numbers, wall tiles are often stampedRuscha is frequently confused with other manufactures because of their differnt style of lettering and clay.Scheurich:facts: white/fawn clay, moulded numbers and W.GERMANY, Left: 1950/60s, right: 1960/70splates and dishes: often with impressed marks!Scheurich is the most popular manufacturer with a wide range of stunning forms and glazes.Bay:facts: white/fawn clay, moulded numbers, often: signed with "Bay", sometimes: WEST or. W.- GERMANYThey often used a typical "y" in the word "GERMANy"Dmler

Internet (WiFi) Radio

Stand-alone internet radios are the new 'must have gadget' for us fat, bald, forty something blokes, or so the hype would have us believe. Yes, you want one, but do you really need one? After all, you only need to go to http://reciva.com and you can listen to them for no extra cost. So is the investment of another gadget worth it?......................................... Yes it ferkin well is.Depending on what ad you read, you can get between 2500 and 12500 radio stations from every corner of the globe, I would suggest that 8000 is not an unreasonable estimate as the number changes every day. Every single kind of genre you can imagine, and an awful lot of them just pump out the kind of content you want 24/7 with no ads and no DJ's.So how does it all work?Your stand-alone internet radio is basically a small computer attached to an amplifier, to keep costs down most use Linux software, but a lot of the unit cost is to pay Microsoft for a licence to use their media player. Make sure the set you buy also has Real Media enabled, if not then you could be limiting your available stations by up to 50%. The set is fixed to the Reciva portal (www.reciva.com), so if the website goes offline, your set won't work apart from any presets you have saved, the presets are the same as bookmarks on your PC that link to the URL that streams the broadcast. So theoretically, if Reciva went bust and closed down, your expensive gadget becomes virtually useless, but don't panic, there are too many vested interests to allow that to happen.Choosing a set.There are a lot of 'customer returns' units for sale on eBay, Hmmmn, even if the seller offers a returns policy, as they ask about a tenner for postage then it's going to be expensive and timely returning them if they are no good. The most popular 'customer return' set is the Logik IR100, well, good news, DSG (Dixons, Currys, PC World) are now selling this at half price, 64.99, DSG don't have the best aftersales reputation, but consumer statutory rights mean you will get any problems resolved eventually.There are two connection types for sets, some are Wireless only, which means you must have a wireless router, and some are wireless and LAN combined, which means you can use an RJ45 cable to connect the set directly to your broadband router/modem as well as use it wireless. The LAN version seems to be counter-productive to me, if you're going to use cables then you may as well plug a decent amp into your PC speaker socket and go to Reciva.com direct from your PC and save a lot of money.Internet radios are currently in their infancy, and are therefore very crude, in the coming months and years they will evolve so that you can store URL databases on NV memory and host databases from your own website. And as they are basically a computer running software and firmware, they will do odd things and need re-booting from time to time.An internet radio is the best thing I've bought for a while, since Primetime Radio went off of DAB last year there has been a void in my life (yes, sad) but now I have so many bigband and swing channels to choose from I really am spoilt for choice.To summarise.Log on to Reciva.com on your PC and have a listen, make sure you really need an internet radio rather than just fancying one.Use Google to view reviews of various sets.Shop around, eBay is not necessarily the cheapest, and the cheapest is not necessarily the best deal.Enjoy.P.S. clicking the 'YES' this guide was helpful button at the bottom will not save the world but it will make you feel good.

Super mvs converter mk2 for the neo geo aes

This guide is to advise people who want to play all neo geoMVS arcade carts on there neo geo aessystem what to buy and where to look and to not fall into the pitful of over paying for this equipment.I have also provided links and tips on avoiding fake or bootleg mvs carts which are common.

I only recently got back into the neo geo gaming having sold my aes system years ago due to the release of the much more powerfulgames consoles and theseduction of high end 3d graphics,but as time went on part of me was hankering for yesteryear and that razor sharp 2d gameplay of old.I tryed various ports of neo geo games and emulations but something felt lost.I decided only dedicated snk hardware would do.Ihadno choicepurchase a cheap used aes system and a few of the better games,surely 10 years down the line this should be relatively inexpensive,i only want metal slug,x,3,strikers1945,garou mak of the wolves and possibly viewpoint.I quickly accertained this was not going to possible on my budget not because of the cost of a aes system but the games metal slug500 poundsplus for a original aes cartand strikers 1945 plus300 pounds for a aes conversion as it was never released on the aes console.I did a little research and realised MVS gameswhere my only rootto affordable cheap carts but they will not play on my aes consolewithout a adaptor.I then had two options buy a mvs motherboard convert it to use on my tv or buy aphantom 1 adapter.Option one was not viable as i wanted the timeless looking aes console sitting under my telly and option two the phantom 1 adapter,i had read good and bad comments about these adapters comments likethey where flimsy,where prone to getting stuck had sound and video problemsand i knew any mvs gamepost 1999 was encryted and would not work plus the phantom 1 converter was expensive and hard to find.Then icame acrossthe super mvs converter mk2 by neoteam 2006,i purchased one paid 100 pounds inclusive ofexpress shipping found all my mvs carts worked fine via the converteron myaes console without sound or graphical glitches and was easy to insert and useincluding metal slug,x,3,snk vs capcom,garou mark of the wolves,tophunter,puzzle bobble,strikers 1945 plus.

I purchased a japanese aes console for 92.00 pounds which is 60hz in mint condition with a original neo geoarcade stick with none of the print fadedand samuri spirits 1 and 2 and ryu ken by being patient and shopping aroundon ebay,please dont be sucked in and over spend condition is everything .I had to purchase a memory cardand rgb cable as the standardpicture through thes-videoav cable that comes with the aes console ispoorwhere asa rgb scartcable will give you a image as clear as component on a modern lcd or plasma tv as low serial numbered aes consoles output atrue rgb signalas the av portis directlyhardwired to the motherboard just like the arcadeunlikelater model aes consoleswhere it was bypassed infavour of better s-videooutput,any console with a serial number of below 200,000 is generally true rgb.The memory card is essenttial as it saves your progress allowing you to always start at the last point at which your previous game finished if you wish giving neo gaming a 21st century feel.My total spend with accessories and the super mvs mk2 converter and mvs carts was the price of a next gen games console around 300.00 pounds thatsa aesconsole.rgb cable,memory card,3 aes carts,mvs converter and 8 mvs carts..

Thesuper mvs converter mk2 is of excellent quality and design and looks like half a aes cartridgeallowing easy insertion for mvs carts andentry into the aes console and comescomplete with blue l.e.d that lights when in use and is robust and well manufactured making the whole set up very neat and pleasing on the eye with the convenience of having a small console like setup over roomyugly arcade motherboards that are fragileIf you want to enjoy the delights ofsome mvs onlyexclusives or cheap mvs games over expensive aes cartsbuy thisconverterbut please noteif you have a ac adapter for your aes consolethat outputs less then 3amps purchasethe replacement neo geo aes ac adapter that suppliers of this converter willstock asmost european and americanneo geo aes systems have ac adapters that output between 700ma-1.2amps which is not enough power for a number of mvs carts where as generally japanese aes consoles are fine,just look at your ac adapter its printed on the label.The converter can be purchased directly from theic2005 shop.comand i advise anyone to make sure they only buy genuine SNK mvs cartsfor 100%compatibility.You pay a bit more for the real thingbutalloriginal mvs games willplay in home mode or freeplayon the aes consolewiththeones that play in home mode givingyou extras like a practise mode and options ie difficulty and dont have missing sprites and sound problems and will only increase in value as originally aes carts where cheaper then mvs carts back in 90s.Most sellers on ebay declare if there carts are original but i recommendNEOAMUSEMENT on ebay who are based in japan who only selloriginalmvs games ship cheaply via ems plus you will nothave to pay duty due to the cartridge weightplus therefairly priced and in top condition.I do not own one bootleg or copy and as a general rule most mvs carts have to be opened to check this even if they have genuine looking stickers and serial numbers unless the case isclear alowing you to see the chips which most games post 1999 are.Dont get me wrong some copys areas a good as the originals and work fine andif you pay peanuts for them its not such a bad thingalthough when it comes to re-sale value there practically worth nothing and can get you into hot water with buyers and ebay as they are illegal and go against ebays sellinggenuine goods policy.Your know if you have a copy because all genuine mvs cartchips arenumbered andcan be checked for authenticitythrough theHARDMVS.COMlist under mvs label project main listas each game has the same chip numbers in everymanufactuedcopy of the game.For example every GENUINEstrikers 1945 pluswill have chips with the number 254 and metal slug x 250.All genuine mvs snk games will generallyhavetoshiba mainchips inside or various other chips that have snk printed on them or are plainbut numbered but do not be fooled by snk circuit boards as nearly all fakes will have these.If you have chips that have mx printed on them therebootleg orcopys although some genuinesnk carts do use eproms and may use reclaimed chips from older mvs games which wasperformed by snkon less popular games(power spikes)or independent collectorsand traders on dead cartsasrepairs or conversions.Remember the neo geo is retro soyou want to play the games how snk intended you want them to be genuinei neverpay more then between10-60 poundsunless the mvs cartis rare like blazing star or strikers 1945 and is inimmaculate conditionwith a shockbox or with the snk fullkit.The metal slug games are cheap to obtain and dont pay more then 15-45pounds.You will find most mvs games areheavily worn with missing orunstuck labelsand have dirty contacts(golden fingers) although if your willing toshop around or get luckythey can bepurchased in quite exceptional condition but if you do getone with dirty contactsalways clean these by carefully opening the cart removing the boards and use a tiny dot of washing up liquid in warm water and clean the contacts with a cotton bud and allow to dry before using.Never touch the chips and always handle the boards in the corners they are robust but can be damaged by static from your hands.I do prefer aes games as i like the boxes and general top condition they can be brought in but only a fool would pay 500 pounds plus for a genuine metal slug aes cartwhich can be completed in around 25 minutes andcan be broughtforbetween 10-35 pounds on the mvs format and is identicalplus when you considerstake winners which in my opinion ispoor andcan be broughton themvs format for 10 pounds butsells for 900 pounds onthe aes format you begin to question some peoples sanity.Sadly because of rich collectors whomay or may notplay there aes gamesthe common man like me or you are keeped out of the loop unless where prepared to re-mortgage the house.Your probably have your favourite neo geo games but i will list what i consider to be the best games and essential purchases-viewpoint,blazing star,strikers 1945 plus,samuri showdown/spirits,metal slug,x,3,garou mark of the wolves,puzzle bobble,the last bladeand pulstar.Its also worth noteing that compared to most retro2d consoles the neo geo was and stillis way aheadof everythingelse interms of its 2d sprite scaling capabilitys and ability to render hand drawn backrounds with cart size and circuit board sizebeing the only difference between the mvs and aes format as both contain the same chips thats why you will see a lot of mvs chipsre-soldered onto aes circuit boards and sold as aesconversions.The aes consoles motherboard is the same as the mvs motherboard giving the true arcade experience in the home but with the luxury of a stylish self contained consoleand though rgb scarton a modern tv can provide as sharpa image and asgood a experience as any modern video game.

So there you have it you know what to do and where to look andthis guide is to save people money,time andtheheadaches i went through not to endorse any seller or company only to stop people paying more then 100 pounds for this converter and to much for mvs carts.My soul intension is to get as many people enjoying neo geo gaming to give it back to the people and take itout of the hands of collectors and hobbyistswho just drive neo prices up making it less acessible as currently everything neo has a stupid price on it.As a gamer forover 25years i want everybody to have the snk experience ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

WW2 British Tanks Matilda Valentine Churchill Crusader

WW2 British Tanks

This is one of many illustrated classic militaryvehicle guides I've created for the community. I hope you enjoy it. If you wish to find out more about the classic WW2 British tank art featured in this guide please click here.

This guide features several classic tanks of World War II.

Matilda Infantry Tank

The A12 appeared in 1938 and became known as the Matilda 2, the earlier model being now the Matilda 1. Matilda Two was a much better design, with heavy armour, a 2-pdr gun as the main armament and a well-protected and much better suspension. Both Matilda I and Matilda II went to war in 1939 and their thick armour proved invulnerable to all German anti-tank weapons. Of the 136 Matilda Is built, those which returned from France were retained for training purposes, due to their lack of effective armament. The Matilda 2s though served well in the Western Desert until eventually replaced by M3 Grants and M4 Shermans.

Valentine Infantry Tank

The Valentine was one of the most important British tanks and in 1943 totalled nearly one quarter of British tank output. The Velentine was difficult to drive, but was reliable and robust, and well-liked by its crews. The turret was somewhat cramped and deficient in vision arrangements, but this was not unusual in tanks of that period. The principal armament of the original version was a 2-pdr gun, though a few mounted a 3in howitzer for close support, Later production models carried a 6-pdr or 75mm gun. A total of 11 different marks eventually appeared, differing in type of engine or armament.

Churchill Infantry Tank

The fourth in the British series of infantry support tanks, the Churchill proved to be a successful and reliable design. It had the heaviest armour of any British tank in service in 1942, and an adequate cross-country speed with excellent cross-country ability. However, like its predecessors, the infantry Mk1, Matilda and Valentine, the Churchill suffered from inadequate armament. Its ability to fire high explosive, except from the close support howitzer in the hull, was a serious weakness. Only a few were actually equipped with the howitzer, the majority mounting a 7.92mm machine gun in the hull instead.

Crusader Cruiser Tank

Crusader was the fastest and best of the British tanks used by the 8th Army in the desert war in North Africa. It could be unreliable, but was much respected by the enemy, having a top speed of almost 40mph (64km/h), which could be exploited at its best in desert conditions. In all, 4,350 Crusader gun tanks were produced between 1940 and 1943.

Cromwell Cruiser Tank

The Cromwell was the most important British cruiser tank of WWII, forming the main equipment of British armoured divisions in 1944-1945 together with the America-built M4 Sherman. However, even with a 75mm gun it was still, by 1944 standards, inferior to the best German tanks. Fitted with a Meteor engine it was then the fastest and most powerful of British tank designs, but the narrow hull prevented it being up-gunned further and considerable redesign was necessary to turn it into a vehicle capable of carrying the very desirable 17pdr gun armament.

Comet Cruiser Tank

The Comet was the last British tank type to enter service before the war ended, though its planned successor, the Centurion, was just starting troop trials as the war finished. A feature of this design was the "compact" version of the famous 17pdr gun, the 77mm, designed to fit the Comet's small turret ring which was not large enough to take a standard 17 pounder gun. In essence the Comet was a redesign of the famous Cromwell tank, retaining its layout and engine, but with improved armour and firepower. Comets served the British Army well into the 1960s.

Thank you for reading my guide and I hope you found it interesting!

IF YOU BUY AND SELL "DON'T!!" LEAVE NEGATIVE FEEDBACK!!

I always retained 100% feedback until recently.

My Ebay rules of sale.

New means 'NEW' End of story!

Excellent used condition = Something used but still appearing as new with NO! Faults

Very good condition = Something with small amount of wear, or very tiny minor fault.

Good condition = Usually an expensive item worn but because it was expensive still looks good.

Fair Condition ? I just don't sell such an item...

Now buying items under these catergories'CAN' bea minefield of errors and disappointments.

I recently purchased a NEW ARAN JUMPER.

When it arrived it had been worn and washed many times, it was matted and had extensive pilling.

After getting no joy from the seller, who was very rude and proclaimed still it was NEW!!

I left a negative :(

A couple of weeks later I sold a used very good condition jumper to an ebayer. 2 days after I had posted it I recieved a NEGATIVE from the ebayer with no communication.

There was nothing wrong with the jumper, I sold the identical jumper in cream to another ebayer who was thrilled.

The ebayer who left a negative then messaged me via ebay mail. Shewrote, Quote;

Recognise the feedback? Whats goes around.........

I checked the email addresses via Paypal and the surnames were the same. :(

I reported all to ebay..

I recieved a reply from Ebay that a warning would be issued to both.

They are still trading,And Ebay won't remove the unjust NEGATIVE that I recieved.

I left feedback in return.. It got removed by ebay and I recieved AN EBAY WARNING !!

The feedback that I left was NOT RUDE OR DISTASTEFUL ONLY TRUTHFUL.

Ebay said; Reason for removable;

It sounded like a negative!!! And an official warning too.. gosh :( :(

So if you buy and you sell, think twice about leaving a negative, they may get their own back in the same way.

I have to end with the fact that I have had some lovely buys from ebay, dealt with some lovely people in both buying and selling, so it is far from bad.

Please leave a vote if you found this info useful, thankyou for reading.

Happy ebaying to all.

Margriet.

POST DELIVERY GIRDLES - ESSENTIAL OR EXCESSIVE?

I am dedicating this article to every new mother. My aim is to prove you that YES YOU CAN BE ATTRACTIVE AND SEXY STRAIGHT AFTER YOU HAVE HAD YOUR BABY.Post delivery girdles, also called maternity girdles, maternity belts or maternity post-natal belts, are worn by many women after giving birth. They wear them on the advice of their doctors or midwives becausethey can do many positive things for the body like help the healing process andminimize or prevent pain. Post delivery girdles also help alleviate thesymptoms of post delivery stress and minimize discomfort.The bulges around the abdomen that you gain during pregnancy can remainforever! Pregnancy hormones ensures good elasticity of the skin, hence it can stretch very well over your bump. This situation changes after you have given birth. You do not have pregnancy hormones to keep maximum elasticity of the skin, butyou have lots of loose and overstretched skin around your abdomen. The longer that your skin stays stretched after deliverythe more chance you have toacquire permanent bulges around your waistline. Hence it is essential to helpyour skin to rest and contract which wouldallow you toregain your previous shape quickly. Hence you shouldwear elastic body-shaping briefs or belts specially designed for new mothers as soon as possible after delivery.You can wear abelt straight after an uncomplicated delivery (normal or C-section). A post delivery Support Belt can be worn either over panties, if you are not comfortable feeling the belt on your skin, or under panties for a bettersnug fit. We receive hundreds of e-mails each month asking us when to start to wearing post-natal underwear. There is no strict answerto this question. I would advise you to start wearing these garments when your mobility is fully restored andfor as long as your need, gradually dropping your size down.
Mothers who had a very difficult and energy-draining pregnancy and delivery can also find use for the post delivery girdle. This specific article of clothing can provide support to the lower back whenpressure is applied to this region, like when standing up or reaching for something.Post delivery girdles are also ideal for those who need to shape up and lose weight immediately after giving birth like actresses, slimming and fitness instructors, and models because this specific type of girdle also helps flatten the stomach and abdominal area. Post delivery girdles are usually made from an elastic material that is not harsh on the skin. They are usually composed of more thanone layer of elastic material to ensure strength and durability. They are strapped around the waist area, covering the midsection up to the high end of the thigh through Velcro closures that make them easy to wearand remove.

Buses In Britain 1950s Leyland Guy Arab Bristol AEC

Buses In Britain 1950s

This is one of many illustrated classic British bus guides I've created for the community. I hope you enjoy it. If you wish to find out more about the classic British Bus art featured in this guide please click here.

This guide features a number of classic British buses from the 1950s.

AEC Regal I ( Alexander-Northern )

The Associated Equipment Company had its beginnings in the London General Omnibus Company, but since 1912 had been a separate commercial business. Although AEC was still the main supplier of bus chassis to London Transport, it built up a substantial business building trucks and buses for customers in the UK and overseas before it merged with Leyland in 1962. The classic AEC Regal 1 was introduced in 1946 with a 7.7-litre engine and crash gearbox.

Bristol L ( West Yorkshire )

The LL version of the Bristol L chassis was 30ft long and was introduced in 1950-51. Engine types provided the various classifications - the LL5G featuring a Gardner 5LW engine, the LL6G coming with a 6LW unit from Gardner, while a Bristol six-cylinder engine powered the LL6B vehicle. One of the "red" Tilling fleets, West Yorkshire were based in Harrogate and operated in both west and north Yorkshire. Other notable LL5G operators included United Countries, Southern Vectis and Crossville.

Bristol K ( Hants and Dorset )

If there was a standard post-war double-decker, it is surely the Bristol K type with ECW Series bodywork. In its Gardner, AEC and Bristol-engined variants (K5G, K6A, K6B), a total of 136 were taken into service between 1946-50. The Bristol K6A TD876 (HLJ25) was purchased new by Hants

BT Featureline - have you been sold the right product?

It is a little known fact that what many business people believe is 'BT' is not BT at all, but a privately run franchise operating as 'BT Local Business'. However, BT Local Business is NOT BT, but a private limited company in your local area who pay a franchise fee to BT and can then call themselves 'BT Local Business' and receive sales leads from people who thought they were phoning BT to arrange the installation of new lines.Firstly, every new business that is formed contacts BT Retail as a matter of course, to have their new telephone lines installed. Several years ago, BT Retail disposed of the vast majority of its sales staff and came up with the superb idea of franchising BT Local Business. Now, a call that is put in to BT Retail on 0800 800152 by a small business looking for new lines to be installed, is forwarded to the callers local franchise of BT Local Business, which is not part of BT but simply sells BTs products, services and contracts to the end user. However, in recent years they have been pro-actively selling (we believe, mis-selling) a product called BT Featureline. Invariably this is sold to the end-user on a 3-year contract. The idea of Featureline is that it provides the customer with all of the benefits of having their own PBX without the cost. However, in instances where there is only 1 telephone line and 1 fax line, there is absolutely no need for the end user to have Featureline at all, but BT Local Business will sell it to the end user on the basis that it is the only service that they can have.

Municipal Buses Crossley DD42 Daimler CVA6 Leyland etc

Municipal Buses Of The 1950s and 1960s

This is one of many illustrated classic bus guides I've created for the community. I hope you enjoy it. If you wish to find out more about the classic bus art featured in this guide please click here.

This guide features several classic municipal buses from of the Fifties and Sixties.

Leyland Titan PD2/5 (Blackpool Corporation Transport)

Blackpool's buses have always played second fiddle to the towns famous trams but they were by normal municipal standards, fascinating vehicles. Motor bus operation started in 1921 but it was not until 1932 that substantial numbers of buses were purchased by the Corporation. The mainstay of the early postwar fleet were 100 Burlingham-bodied centre-entrance Leyland PD2/5 Titans. Of distinctive appearance with tehir ornamental full-fronts, they matched the railcoaches in service and gave the town a distinctive public transport image.

Crossley DD42 ( Birmingham City Transport )

The Crossley company had been based in Gorton in Manchester, though its factory was damaged during the war and production of their new post-war double-decker, the DD42, began in a new factory at Errwood Park, Stockport. The DD42 tended to be a municipal bus, more often than not with Crossley's own bodywork. The two biggest customers were Manchester, which had 301 postwar examples (plus the 1944 prototype) and Birmingham, which had 270 with its own style bodywork.

Daimler CVA6 ( Coventry Corporation Transport )

The first Daimler buses in the Coventry fleet were purchased in 1933, and finding these to be very satisfactory, the Corporation supported the local product almost exclusively. By the early 1960s around 95% of the fleet were Daimlers and Metro-Cammell, another Midlands manufacturer, supplied a similar proportion of the bus bodies. One of the classic models was the Daimler CVA6 with a 60-seat Metro-Cammell body. From 1952 deliveries of this bus carried the Birmingham style tin front (with same body) and later Metro-Cammells, the lightweight Orion design. The maroon and cream Coventry livery hailed from 1933, with an increase in cream on some vehicles from the mid-sixties.

Leyland Titan PD2/3 ( Manchester Corporation Transport Department )

Buses were introduced in Manchester in 1906 as tramway feeders but didn not become numerous until after WW1. Local manufacturer Crossley supplied a significant proportion of Mancehster's buses until 1951, though the Leyland product was used increasingly from 1934. The classic Manchester Corporation Transport Department Leyland Titan PD2/3 model was introduced in 1951 fitted with a Metro-Cammell body. The PD2 model was available from Leyland for around 20 years in various guises and until 1954 could be obtained as a complete vehicle with Leyland's own competently styled body.

Leyland Atlantean PDR1/1 ( Liverpool Corporation Passenger Transport )

The production version of the Leyland Atlantean double-decker appeared in 1958, and whilst early Atlanteans suffered some of the same reliability problems as the first rear-engined single-deckers, due to the remote positioning of the engine, the PDR1/1 was accepted by the majority of operators. Liverpool obtained a vast fleet of Atlanteans with its unique "hooded" style which first appeared in 1963. LCPT had opted for the Atlantean as the fleet's mainstay, following trials in 1958/9 betwen an AEC Regent V, a Leyland Atlantean and an AEC Bridgemaster. The "Pier Head" destination was hugely familiar for city centre buses and trams of the period.

Leyland Titan PD2/37 ( Halifax Passenger Transport Department )

Leyland, like AEC had customers across the board during the 1950s and 1960s, from small independents, municipal operators, company fleets and London Transport. Its main double-deck offering during this period was the Titan PD2 or the 30ft long Titan PD3 from 1956. In keeping with developments in the industry as a whole, the Titan was available with a growing range of options - exposed radiator or "tin-front", air or vacuum brakes, synchromesh or epicyclic gearbox. The Titan finally disappeared from the model list in 1968/9.

AEC Renown 3B3RA ( Nottingham City Transport )

Launched in 1962, the two-axle, low floor, double-deck AEC Ronown was designed to take over from the not too successful Bridgemaster. The model used independent front suspension and air bellows rear suspension, similar to that of the Routemaster. 3B3RA versions had four-speed synchronised gearboxes and 3B2RA models carried four-speed direct-selection epicyclic gearboxes. With an 18ft 3 1/2 in wheelbase the Renown could take either forward or rear entrance bodies. Some two-hundred and fifty Renowns were manufactured during the production period of 1962 to 1967.

Daimler CVG6 ( West Bromwich County Borough Transport Department )

Daimler's main customers during the 1950s were the municipal operators who found the refined Daimler chassis with its preselector transmission ideal for intense urban work. The postwar CV range offered a choice of Gardner 5LW or 6LW engines, or Daimler's own CD6 unit.West Bromwich Corporation employed a fleet of Daimler CVG6 fitted with a Metro-Cammell Orion H63R body. Surely one of the most attractive liveries in the Midlands, the dark blue lower and light blue upper panels are set off with full lining-out, and cream elsewhere, a style used right up until absorption into the West Midlands PTE.

Leyland Atalantean PD1/1 ( Newcastle Upon Tyne Corporation Transport )

Corporation buses commenced running in Newcastle as early as 1912. At this time, trams, trolleybuses and buses all ran in different liveries but coinciding with a delivery of AECs in 1949, the destinctive livlery of yellow and cream with maroon wings on buses was adopted. Newcastle was an enthusiastic Atlantean customer and built up a substantial fleet of rear-engined Leylands.

Thank you for reading my guide and I hope you found it interesting!