This could start to get a bit repetitive but I was in St Albans as well! This show has become a bit of a tradition now and an excuse to come over to one of my old stamping grounds, meet friends, drink wine and eat lots! Am sure there is looking at trains in there somewhere as well! Unfortunately due to our rather complex travel arrangements this weekend, we did not have as long as I would have liked at the show as had to get several full sized trains back to Worcestershire. A really nice show again but regret not having introduced myself to some of the other bloggers due either to them being busy or me being dragged away by an eight year old. Despite some moans in the car going over, she loved it and was very taken by the periscopes that could be borrowed. Our favorite layouts were (strangely enough), both narrow gauge and both big and round. I have seen this format before where you walk around the entire circumference to view but the American ' Three Chop Round' and French 'La Baraque' worked especially well and good that they were displayed next to each other.

I didn't get too carried away with purchases this time;

What you will notice though is rather a lot of Nickle Silver rod and strip (really pushed the boat out as N/S a bit easier to solder than brass). I now have no excuse not to finish off the big building I started before Christmas now. This is all going to be turned into fencing in manner that I am not quite sure about yet! Of course, having just bought this lot I saw some new Peco O gauge fencing which would have done the trick for the same money but saved me loads of time. Only problem (apart from having bought the other stuff), was that there was only one box and I would have needed two.

Just to prevent me getting too cocky about my loco building prowess, I got the second part of Geoff Holt's book to make me feel inferior.

The day was rounded off with a vintage bus ride to Abbey station and then First Class (only £5 more for two of us!) on the Pendelino to Birmingham. Best bit of journey - complimentary snack box!

I have managed to get paint on the Simplex today but still haven't tackled the pick ups which is very naughty of me. Just need to work on making it looked ' lived in' and then I am pretty much finished.