Rivercider

I am a 5th generation railwayman, as I was born within site of Exmouth Junction, and as a child we travelled regularly by train it was inevitable that I would become interested in trains.

My gt gt grandfather was a labourer on the L&SWR, later becoming a ganger, he lived at Whimple and was run down and killed by a freight train at Broadclyst in 1877.

My gt gt gmother, his widow, was given the crossing keepers job and lived at Gosford Gates on the Sidmouth Branch, she was there from 1877 to at least 1901.

My gt gfather was in the permanent way, also on L&SWR, originally at Ottery St Mary, finishing up as P. Way Inspector at Brockenhurst/Ringwood.

My gfather spent most of his career as a relief signalman on the S.R. at various boxes throughout the Exeter District, he finished as Station Inspector at Exeter Central in 1963.

My father started in Pinhoe booking office in 1948, after various jobs at Exeter Central he worked at Taunton and Bristol, finishing as W.R. Civil Engineers wagon supervisor in 1992.

I joined BR in 1977, worked in Bristol TOPS from 1978-85, then at Swindon, Westbury and Newport, returning to Bristol TOPS twice, finishing at Bristol Barton Hill Rosters with EWS in 2007 when taking redundancy.

I had my first train set about 1966, Hornby Nellie and freight set, it gradually expanded, but only in temporary use on my bedroom floor during school holidays etc. In about 1979 it all got boxed and put in the loft. In 2009 my partner sugggested I get a model railway for my 50th birthday, so a 8' 6" shunting plank was duly designed. I am trying to recreate memories of 1960 BR(SR) steam, 1970 BR(WR) hydraulic and late 1970s BR blue.

Some of my old Hornby locos and wagons are in use with newer stock mostly Bachmann with lots of wagons.