A typical Railway Modeller; is there such a thing?  The press would have you believe that we are all a strange breed of anorak, but I rarely meet anyone involved in this hobby that fits that title, we are as individual in our hobby and other interests as anyone.

A Tri-ang set one Christmas in the late 50's sowed the seed for me, and apart from a diversion into Scalextric when I was eleven, (which I am still afflicted with!), the discovery of girls and Led Zeppelin in my teens, I've kept up my interest in OO scale model railways.

I have been modelling the BR Western and latterly the Southern regions up to early dieselisation for the last 25 years.  My last layout was based on a West-Country market town and was 12’ long, it had a terminus station with a large MPD, featuring scratch built WR style engine shed, repair shop and coaling stage. I also enjoy detailing and repainting locomotives and feel that all stock should receive some form of weathering.  A recent house move necessitated the dismantling of this layout and there is not the space in my new location to accommodate a permanent layout of the size I now wish, which is to run 8 coach trains!  I have an idea how to do this but I want to get the project started before I share it with you.

As I mentioned, Scalextric or slot car racing, as it is known as a hobby, is my other modelling passion.  I have built a scenic track down one side of my garage and some of the guys at Gaugemaster come over for race nights. As with my railway modelling I like to modify, repaint and re number the cars and get great pleasure from researching into a car’s race history and trying to replicate it.

I first joined the team here in 2000 but took a break a year later to extensively travel in the United States. Outside of my modelling interests, I snowboard every winter, sing in a rock group and have been known to drag race my 57 Chevrolet.

No, there’s no such thing as a typical Railway Modeller...and don't ask if I own an anorak!!!