Once upon a time, a long time ago as all good stories start…..
A 6 year old me on xmas morning was over the moon when my big present was a brand new Hornby railway set. Sure it was absolutely the most entry one they did – an oval of track, a small steam loco, 4 goods wagons and a simple controller which sat atop 2 Ever Ready 6v lantern batteries. Oh and a cardboard tunnel, a shunting strip and a flexidisk of Bernard Cribbins introducing you to your new train set (you had to weigh it down with a penny to make it work). Like I said, a long, long time ago.
That xmas morning, I’m so excited to set this up but my father takes the lead as it’s ‘complicated’. But he sets up this track, gets the train rolling – then spends the entire morning playing with it himself. My mother at lunchtime eventually comes out and screams at him to let me have a go. But by this time the batteries are done, and this being 1970’s Britain, no stores are open until after Boxing Day. Needless to say, it was a crap Christmas
Fast forward 40 years or so, and an older, fatter me has a beautiful son who becomes a train nerd. We shall call him Paul because I named him that. And when he exhausts knowing pretty much everything there is to know about the NY Subway, he then starts an interest in the UK rail system. He get’s excited about the late 50’s/early 60’s of postwar nationalization of the railways – especially when he learns that his grandfather (AKA the ‘xmas train-set bandit’) used to go Trainspotting.
Father and son visit England in August 2022. We look at a LOT of trains. And a plan is formed. We are going to build a train set. An authentic one. Circa 1960-ish. A mix of steam and diesel, with a long term plan for a major fixed layout (when Dad can afford to buy (I mean build Amy!) a house with room.
And so a plan is formed. Dad starts buying HO/OO track and a few trains. Xmas and Dad really goes silly – buying the set he always wanted as a kid, but for his son.
But is it just for him? Hells no! This is out set. And this website is all about our rolling stock and build.
But this time, we take it in turns. And no batteries – hell never batteries ever again
Anyway thanks for stopping by – hope you find something you like and follow us through our journey!