[audible]

I just completed Christian Wolmar's excellent book "Fire & Steam" and my boyhood fascination with steam trains came rushing back.

I grew up in Glasgow's Mount Florida area in the fifties, at the waning end of the "golden" age of steam. I still have fond memories of travelling into Central Station to view the big engines that travelled the Glasgow/London route from platform 1 or 2. My grandest memory however, was when as a lad of 12 or 13 when my mates and I discovered an abandoned train works shed. It may have been Polmadie, but I honestly can't remember. The place was open but deserted and there where many engine components lying about, bogies, boilers and other running gear. There was even an almost complete engine hoisted up high. I'll never forget the sight of these abandoned behemoths decaying in the hot (by Glasgow summer standards) sun filtered through the broken skylights.

I emigrated to Canada in 1970 and trains where the last thing from my mind; work, and a growing family occupied my time (as well as a few other pastimes) but "Fire & Steam" has brought it all back. The kids have grown up and flown the coup and dad is itching to get back to it, so here I am...

I have no idea what is on the market, I see the traditional Hornby, but there are several names I'm not familiar with. I picked up a few magazines, 'Railway Modeller' and 'Model Rail', to name two but I still feel like a complete outsider. I'm not even sure if there is a decent store in my area (Ottawa is the closest city to me) or even what to look for. My main wish is for highly detailed models of British steam engines in 00 gauge, however larger scales may be of interest if they offer a higher level of detail and functioning components. I'm not adverse to kit building as I was an avid modeller as a kid. I'm also interested in collecting detailed schematics and technical (engineering) drawings of the real thing!

So there we have it! I hope I've not bored you and look forward to meeting many of you on this forum. But for now, I have a lot of reading and researching to do. I think I'll start with catalogues!

 

[7113]

Hi there audible and welcome to MRF.

Catalogues are a good starting place - until you add up the costs!

Any questions just fire away, you will always get an answer, although not necassarily the one you were expecting.

Regards

 

[audible]

Thanks for the welcome!

I know what you mean about catalogues, I remember when they where free, oh, yes, they sometimes had a price on them (1/6d), but invariably the stores would give them to you free in the hope that you'd be back to buy, which I mostly did - honest! I noticed the price of the new Hornby catalogue - 10 quid! That used to be a real good weekly salary (I'm aging myself, aren't I?).

I'll post my questions in the appropriate area, thanks again.

 

[clive hayward]

Hello Audible,
and welcome to the forum. Thanks for your recollections, in 1966 my father took me to Buchanan St to see the Bittern leave, which I can just about remember!

May be worthwhile trawling through the internet to see what's available, I think you'll be amazed at the choice, standard, and unfortunately the cost of what's available now. Are you intending a model set in Scotland? Plenty of good quality pacifics available (either ex LMS or LNER) as well as Black 5s, B1s, etc.

Can't help with model shops in Canada however, I live in France, but I'm sure someone can assist.

Regards

Clive Hayward

 

[audible]

Thanks Clive, whereabouts in France are you? I visited my son in Geneva in September of this year and, actually, my last rail journey was from Geneva to Lyon - a very smooth track! I also travelled extensively around southern France including a stop at Millau to see the amazing viaduct (bridge) there.

I have been scouring the internet and plan to buy several books and catalogues, what has amazed me was how thriving the hobby is, I honestly thought that, in this computer age, nobody would have time for modelling, boy, was I wrong! I have a lot or research ahead of me, which, frankly I'm looking forward to, and as much as the internet is a great tool, I personally like the tactile feel of a good book or a well laid out catalogue.

I hope I can find a local store where I can pick up some of the catalogues. That is my next quest!

 

[Brian Considine]

Hello & welcome to MRF,

Both catalogues & magazines do add up - I would recommend Hornby magazine as a good starting point to "catch up".

The quality of current RTR models is now excellent.

 

[audible]

Thanks Brian, Hornby magazine, here I come!

Regards, Brian (audible)

 

[Brian Considine]

Glad to see another Brian (we are a bit outnumbered by the Dave's !)

 

[Chinahand]

Hi Brian and welcome to the MRF from sunny Dubai where there is not a single model shop stocking anything remotely connected to trains. It's all radio controlled cars and helicopters.Thanks to the wonders of the internet, however, I have no problems ordering equipment, literally from the four corners of the earth, though shipping costs can be a tad tiresome.

I enjoyed your recollection of the last days of steam in Glasgow. Very evocative stuff.

As regards detailed 00 models I think you may have difficulty in finding RTR locos with the sort of detail you are looking for but you could possibly achieve it with brass/white metal kits. Have a look at the excellent work Pedromorgan does on his 'Workbench'.

Good luck with your modelling and I look forward to seeing how you get on with detailing/building locos.

 

[mvrnut]

Hi audible and welcome to the MR Forum.
There are many highly detailed locos manufactured these days by Bachmann, and Hornby among others. A far cry from the old Tri-ang locos that I had as a kid growing up in Hampshire in the 1960's.
I am not aware of any shops in your area. I know there are none in Sudbury that sell British stuff. I have to order everything by mail. So far I have had very good service. There are a couple of good suppliers in Canada. Model Railway Imports, in Ontario, and Brittania Models, in B.C. Check out their websites.
In Ottawa they have an annual model train show. Not sure off hand when it is , but I think sometime in the Fall.
Best of luck, Cheers
mvrnut

 

[neil_s_wood]

Hi Brain (audible) welcome to the forum. I also grew up in Glasgow in the sixties but am much younger so my memories aren't that great. Earliest memory would be seeing the QEII get launched. Either that or the time I jumped off a moving train coming into St Enochs and fortunately (well for me anyway) my dad managed to catch me.

Any questions you have, please ask away. I'm sure someone will know the answer on here.

 

[mvrnut]

Hi again,
Just did a bit of checking. This info from the BRMNA (British Railway Modellers of North America) website:
the train show in Ottawa: Railfair 32 in Nepean Oct. 17 & 18
Also, I highly recommend, The Great British Train Show, in Brampton May 1 & 2
Cheers
mvrnut

 

[clive hayward]

Hello again Brian (Audible),
I live in Toulon in the Var region (Department 83). Like Neil I was taken to see the launching of the QE2 at John Brown's and I remember being terrified by the noise!
The hobby as far as I'm concerned is thriving, all to the good, have a good look at what is on offer and I'm sure you will not be disappointed. Prices are high but you get a lot for your money,
Regards,
Clive

 

[audible]

Hey Brian, not only is my name Brian but my last name also stars with a C.

Expat (Trevor), thanks for the welcome, I can imagine shipping to Dubai is not cheap but at least we can get stuff and the internet does help. I've purchased a lot of photography gear from Hong Kong and obviously a lot of stuff from the US. One of my sons lives in Washington D.C. so I usually order stuff and have it delivered to him. I then pick it up when my wife and I visit.

mvrnut, hi to Sudbury! Thanks for the store connections, I'll certainly check them both out. Darn, I hate that I missed this years show in Ottawa, timing is everything, eh! I will try to make the one in Brampton though as my sister lives there.

Neil and Clive, so you were both at the launching of the QEII. I was stuck in the cafeteria at Langside College in Glasgow on that day listening to the launch on a transistor radio. Neil, that's what dads are for; that's a wonderful memory! Clive, I grazed past you, after Millau we drove south to Montpellier, over to Avignon then up to Grenoble before heading back to Geneva. It must be beautiful around Toulon, what took you there? Just think if I'd joined this forum earlier, I would have dropped down to Toulon and bought you a beer!

 

[neil_s_wood]

QUOTE (audible @ 31 Dec 2008, 11:21) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Neil and Clive, so you were both at the launching of the QEII. I was stuck in the cafeteria at Langside College in Glasgow on that day listening to the launch on a transistor radio. Neil, that's what dads are for; that's a wonderful memory! Clive, I grazed past you, after Millau we drove south to Montpellier, over to Avignon then up to Grenoble before heading back to Geneva. It must be beautiful around Toulon, what took you there? Just think if I'd joined this forum earlier, I would have dropped down to Toulon and bought you a beer!
There are some advantages to being of a pre school age. Prevents being stuck at work or college. Just hope I'm quick enough to catch my kids when they do the same.

Good to have you onboard Brian.

 

[audible]

It's instinct... trust me!

Thank's to all for the warm welcome, it's a pleasure to be associated with you all.

Long may your steam be up!