Well if you have read some of the "articles" on this web site then you will know that I am not one to be frightened of the weird and wonderful -in fact I relish it. I scream rage and fume at the problems that I seem to set myself in my task of making a loco work in the manner that the original did. Similarly I am nearly half way round the task of building all the Gauge 3 track for my new layout, with all the things as near Henry Greenly or LBSC and "state of the art" for the1920's as I possibly can. The reason that I am doing this is simply for that one moment when I can look at it and then go "YES!"

I did used to model in 00 in my teenage days -but I think the reason that I dropped out from it -was the sheer drag of never having achieved anything. This is not to say that the smaller gauges and scales are any less pleasing to any other modellers -but to me when I can look at a complete part of a loco that has been hand cobbled, (I dare not say machined), that is a unique moment.

Although I was considered an absolute loss at Art by my teacher, I think that somehow the artist in me has surfaced at a very late age -as a sculptor. No, I still cannot draw for toffee and the world is "Plan", "Side", and "Front" Elevations for me!!! I tend to stick well clear of machinery, this is not because of any fear of them, but rather because I like the feel of things in my hands. I know that eventually I will have to shift into doing all my wheels etc by lathe -but at the moment "turning" and very definitely "milling" is a chore rather than a pleasure...

I have had to teach myself to silver solder and how to do metal work. I opted out of Metal Work at Grammar school because I loved Wood Work more -thus I began my locomotive building career with the sure and certain knowledge of how to make a garden trowel and garden fork, and I had forged two rivets -yes they were my First and Second year Metal Work projects.... I built my sons crib and cot bed in Mahogany and Walnut -which were all French polished with brass fittings and screws...

I have ordered and received the Plans for a coal burning live steam locomotive, not as I expected the Baltic tank locomotive of the LBSC -but instead I went for the Furness Baltic tank locomotive. My reasons for this are two fold.... I have a set of plans that are designed to work and I can see how someone else who does this for a living -does it! Having built the Furness one I can then have a look at the drawing for the LBSC one and alter or crib the things that I need. I have however decided to dispense with all the conversions to Metric and stick with the Imperial measurements that are on the plans. This does involve sourcing of Imperial drills and BA nuts and bolts. The only other time that I have used a published design was for my first Gauge 3 Model, the EF-1. The plans there were drawn up in 1927 -so the Imperial was of course only to be expected. But the Furness Baltic design was done in 2004...

Looking back on all the things that I have done with my railway and the projects that I have set myself -I seem to have done things in a very lazy fashion! However I do seem to have got the job done and derived a whole lot of satisfaction doing so.

I love my research -I relish the hunt for information about the loco and the strange often ridiculous facts that surface about it. I was looking into the Kitson Meyer locomotive designed for the Trans Andine rail route and came across a request from the Chilean side to see how well the firebox would be at burning coffee beans and dried llama dung -if required. The locomotive I am researching at the moment is quite bizarre and as my wife said "Jings! Hen that is one for the beating the ugly stick!". It is a 1-A-B0-2 configuration... My endeavours have unearthed a complete timetable for this loco and a set of advice documents for European travellers on it about having food shipped by courier to the station!!!