Only went for a bottle of glue & a tin of matt varnish..........honest !

I tried so, so, so hard.

I knew I would have to walk past the Hornby cabinet to get to the counter but still I went like a lamb to the slaughter.

It was like my eyes had a mind of their own. I couldnt stop them from gazing left as I walked past.

......and there it was, all vac like, dutchy and gorgeous !!

By this time I was on my knees, dribbling down the glass in a trance like state with the voices in my head saying

'buy me, buy me, you know you want me, buy me, I would look lovely on Brooke Stone with some Limpets & a brake, buy me, buy me.'

So there it was, Hornby's latest sound offering. One of my favourite engines, in my favourite livery and with decent sound built in and ready to go. How could I resist ?

Ok, I wasnt planning on running any railtours with 008 into Brooke Stone, Brooke Stone wasnt really supposed to be based on the Western region & money wise, it was steep & I had 28p in my pocket ?!

Now for the real shocker and this will show just how much I had to have this engine. Knowing my local model shop owner would do me a part ex or swap I dropped my plans for the afternoon, paid for my glue & departed the shop like Arnie screaming 'I'll be back !'

After a mad dash home and several difficult minutes going through my stock I decided, seeing as I hardly ever use them and have no use for them on Brooke Stone, it was time to say bye bye to the Rail Ex DRS 37 twin pack !!!!!

After an excellent deal back at the shop an hour later I was the proud owner of the Vac, 6 lush ECC PGA's & a healthy deposit on the Gaugemaster Prodigy.

Had fun with the Tractors but with 667 already in the loco box, having 688 & 510 was overkill. Both weathered, detailed & sound fitted, I'm sure they will bring someone else lots of enjoyment not to mention the fact that 510 was a celeb having appeared on the front of Rail Ex !

Now this will shock you all as well.........I have been quite moderate with the weathering on this one !!

I even researched several pics of my own & off the internet to get a general idea of how 015 looked from day to day.

Too whacked last night to do anything so first thing this morning, I set about my Sunday morning project.

Fully detailed with the ploughs & pipes supplied, a light dusting of frame dirt and several dustings of rusty based powders later and my first Vac is captured on the single line on its way to Brooke Stone !