At the moment I'm building up my collection of stock before I start on my first dedicated pre-Grouping layout (which will depict Shalford Junction in 1921: LSWR, LBSC and SECR all running their trains over the same metals - and mud in the eye to all those whingers who bleat "the trade doesn't do enough for those of us who want to model the Southern in N"!) and, perhaps inevitably, I'm initially focussing rather more on locomotives than on wagons and coaches.

I'm putting more emphasis on acquiring the locomotives I shall need for Shalford Junction than on other pre-Grouping companies; but I have a number of other ambitious ideas to explore, so I am generally collecting anything pre-Grouping in N even if I don't have a current use for it.

This is my current roster of locomotives available for immediate service:

CR 4P 4-4-0 no. 375 (Graham Farish RTR; not a correct livery for this prototype)

another of the same (awaiting renumbering)

GCR "Improved Director" 4-4-0 no. 506 "Butler Henderson" (Graham Hughes kit, built and painted by an unknown hand)

GER "Buckjumper" 0-6-0T no. 87 (Graham Farish RTR, renumbered for me by Carl Peplow)

GER "Buckjumper" 0-6-0T no. 372 (Graham Farish RTR)

GNR "Ragtimer" 2-6-0 no. 1003 (Highfield RTR)

GNR 0-6-0 no. 1135 (Highfield long-boilered 0-6-0 kit, built, "Northernised" and painted by an unknown hand)

GWR 0-6-0 no. T47 (Highfield long-boilered 0-6-0 kit, built and painted by an unknown hand)

HR "banking tank" 0-6-4T no. 42 (ABS Beaver kit, built by an unknown hand and painted by myself)

LBSCR A1 "Terrier" 0-6-0T in Stroudley livery no. 53 "Ashtead" (Dapol RTR)

LBSCR A1 "Terrier" 0-6-0T in Stroudley livery no. 54 "Waddon" (Dapol RTR)

LBSCR A1 "Terrier" 0-6-0T in Stroudley livery no. 82 "Boxhill" (Dapol RTR)

LBSCR A1 "Terrier" 0-6-0T in Stroudley livery no. 84 "Crowborough" (Dapol RTR)

LBSCR D3 0-4-4T in Marsh livery no. 366 (kit-bash by an unknown hand, painted by myself)

LBSCR E5 0-6-2T in Marsh livery no. 571 (Langley kit built by an unknown hand and painted by myself; used as my avatar picture)

LSWR M7 0-4-4T no. 245 (Dapol RTR)

LSWR M7 0-4-4T no. 676 (Dapol RTR, re-numbered for me by Carl Peplow)

NER freelance 0-6-0T (Highfield Models RTR - the first ever British-outline RTR in N)

NER R class 4-4-0 no. 592 (Union MIlls RTR; special edition of 50 models)

another of the same (awaiting super-detailing)

NER R class 4-4-0 no. 725 (Union Mills RTR)

another of the same (awaiting super-detailing)

NER (ex-S&D) long boilered 0-6-0 no. 3541 (Highfield kit, built and painted by a unknown hand; the number is incorrect, as the kit is obviously based on the "1001 class", and I intend to renumber it either 1255 or 1275)

NSR "New L" class 0-6-2T no. 51 (Planit Engineering kit, built and painted by myself)

RR P class 0-6-2T no. 5 (Langley conversion kit, built and painted by an unknown hand)

SDJR 3F 0-6-0 no. 66 (Union MIlls RTR)

SDJR 4P 4-4-0 no. 67 (Graham Farish RTR; not a correct livery for this prototype)

Additionally, I have about a dozen locomotives in my paint shops in various states, and another four away with professional painters (Peco kit-built B4 to receive LSWR livery; Dapol RTR LSWR M7 for renumbering; Union Mills RTR SDJR 2P for lining and renumbering; and Minitrix kit-built J63 to receive GCR livery). Then there's a number of kits awaiting construction or partially completed, and the usual vast array of "projects".

But for the time being, Shalford Junction is giving me my focus, and locomotives of the Southern constituent companies have a clear priority. The next two locomotives to emerge from my paint shop will therefore be a K class mogul and an A1X "Terrier", both in Marsh livery.