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Yes some superstition variants did indeed have a rhyming element. "Step on a crack - break your mum's back."

The attention which was once paid to superstitions. My gran used to comment if someone dropped a knife that a male visitor would soon be calling - or a female visitor in the case of a dropped fork. Also as a child there tended to be a feeling that cracks on the pavement should not be stood upon...

I quite like the fact that there are still some opportunities in the UK to travel on scheduled services on the main line which are worked by a loco and coaches as God intended!

I vaguely remember my father giving the car engine the occasional couple of rotations of the starting handle even when not in use to totally fire up the engine. Unsure why he did this however.

I suspect that there were a fair few belt and braces workarounds for specific failures of old style motor vehicles that might have limited worth with modern day vehicles. Dimly remember something about manually rocking a vehicle if there was a jammed starter, some repair involving ladies...

I recall a matronly school teacher in bygone days complaining of engine trouble with her car. Her car maintenance garage proprietor accompanied her on a short drive to investigate the problem. He noticed that on entering the vehicle her first action was to pull out the choke lever to the fullest...

Semaphore signals (on cars).

At least you will be fairly confident of the journey operating and of securing a seat.

Especially if it's additional and worsening bad news and if the employee who is having to relay the information is not particularly impressed themself with the decision making process which has led to the unfolding scenario.

Ladies head gear for use in wet weather. Sometimes referred to as a "rain mate". My memory is of something that was a pleated piece of polythene with two cotton tape ties.

A programme currently on the tv as I type is glorifying Black Forest Gateaux. Not often seen on dessert menus these days but almost unavoidable in the 1970s.

I also vaguely recall bacon in a soft white roll together with molten tomato.

Interesting to see a spoof advert in the previous issue of "Private Eye" for "Euston Station Rocket Roller Skates" Price £399.23. Are you a regular user of one of Britain's biggest railway stations? Worried about not getting to your train in the 30 seconds between the platform being announced...

A breakfast cereal called "Fru-Grains" which from very distant childhood memory were like pieces of tree bark. Something which was powdery and supposedly healthy and occasionally sprinkled on cereals years ago but unfortunately I can't remember it's name. When Grapefruit Juice, Pineapple Juice...

With a fulsome explanation of the reason for loss of service.

Yes - it's a bit like if your nearest Asda advised its customers that it will be closed tomorrow due to a sudden decision not to open on Wednesday of this week.

On the topic of secondary schools, Deputy Head Teachers who were adept at spotting pupils sneaking in late to school or indulging in a fly smoke and who would shout at full volume "You Boy! - Come here and hold out your hand!" And then being belted a few times and sent on their way.

Even if you were not fortunate enough to be able to speak to the beat copper personally I can certainly remember my father contacting the local police office in the 60s to let them know how long the house would be unoccupied during our summer holiday so the police could keep an eye on our...

Segs on shoes and boots, trouser turn-ups, trilby hats, dead animals hung round the shoulders of old ladies going to church, Brylcreem, cravats. On the subject of teachers with leather patched elbows I remember one who, as well as elbows, had leather sewn on frayed edges of his jacket, his...

I wonder if a significant amount of comms difficulties are caused by the dependency on the two-headed hydra of TOC and Network Rail each with their own priorities and chains of command. Would things work better under a vertically integrated regime or even a full scale "alliance" way of working?