Some 40 odd years ago, when I was lad, I used to enjoy playing with my model railway on the lounge carpet floor. This pleased my father, but annoyed my mum who got fed up doing a hop, skip and jump over the track and rolling stock just so she could sit down on the settee.

Sadly at that time, being that tender age I didn't appreciate my dad's efforts in buying and producing a running model railway, albeit I could only have it out on my school holidays. But looking back I should have paid more attention to what dad had achieved on my behalf.

Unfortunately once entering my teens the model railway plummeted to the bottom of my spare time activities list.......the model railway lay dormant for a good many years.

But more recently things dramatically changed on my job front, the new mundane job left me plenty of time to channel my thoughts elsewhere in just trying to keep my mind active and relieve the boredom!

It was a wet and windy May afternoon last year, when my partner and I decided to pay a visit to the Hornby visitor centre at Margate. After much reminiscing that day, this was quickly followed up with trips on the Mid Hants Railway "Watercress Line" , Kent & East Sussex Railway and a visit to the National Railway Museum in York and you've guessed it..............I've caught the railway bug!

Possibly it's an age thing or just big boys' toys, but like many things in life you don't know what you've missed until it's gone..... thankfully enthusiasts have kept the steam dream alive and running, so it's time to catch up on what I missed the first time round.

Now for the loft to sort out the Hornby Dublo 3 rail!