Category Archives: Inspiration

ESNG N-Mod track?

Posted on May 5, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

Here’s a picture I found in an old magazine I was reading, that reminds me of our N-mod track.  It even has the correct 4-track configuration….. In fact, this does look very much like a model railway.  Reading Iain Rice’s … Continue reading →

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Another old favorite

Posted on May 3, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

Cha(i)rman Allan semt me this shot taken by Sean on 18 March from the cab of his train.  These ‘Hasting’ DEMUs are another favourite from my early train spotting days, as they also ran on the line between Petts Wood … Continue reading →

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Class 71 memories

Posted on May 1, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

Some of my earliest railway memories are seeing the ‘Golden Arrow’ as I was coming home to lunch from infants school.  In those days, it was steam-hauled, a 4-6-2 ‘Britannia’ and Pullmans to follow.  Some years later, my first solo … Continue reading →

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Book review – “Compact Layout Design – Iain Rice”

Posted on April 25, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

One of my favourite reads is an Iain Rice layout design book.  Hidden amongst the slightly bumptious and wordy – but always entertaining – text, there are always inspiring photographs, clever construction techniques, prototype information and neat track plans.  And the … Continue reading →

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A cultural interlude

Posted on April 11, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

Whilst we are slaving away at the ESNG show today, I present a cultural interlude (be grateful – you get precious little culture on this blog). Phil sent me this poem.  He didn’t know to whom the verse is attributable, … Continue reading →

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Bullet trains for India?

Posted on April 7, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

India’s train system is a remarkable piece of engineering, with some 71,000 physical miles of track, 41,000 miles of network and 7,172 stations – a colossus which carries 23 million passengers each day and 8.4 billion every year.  All at soil-scraping … Continue reading →

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Book review – “The ‘Booster Locos’ CC1/CC2/CC3”

Posted on April 1, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

Apart from a few trees, my only purchase at Alexandra Palace was the ‘Southern Way Special Edition No 11’, on the early Southern Railway electrics, CC1, CC2 and CC3.  I can recommend this book as an excellent read, and especially … Continue reading →

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London Festival of Railway Modelling 2015

Posted on March 30, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

My usual companions couldn’t make this year’s trip to Alexandra Palace for the London Festival of Railway Modelling, so I was undecided whether to go.  But Derek said that if two of us were going, it was worth him driving, … Continue reading →

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This would make a good model!

Posted on March 28, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

This has great potential as a set piece on a preservation-era layout.  I can imagine a locomotive, broken trailer, police cars in attendance, and the curious Great British Public looking on.  And a good way of using up a non-working (or … Continue reading →

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At least you can’t see the details in ‘N’….

Posted on March 26, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

The Daily Telegraph has come up with this gem of a headline: “Model railways showed an idealised England until ‘sexy scenes’ came along – Forget housewives in headscarves or children waving from the road, the latest figures from Buffers Model … Continue reading →

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