Sir Hadyn

I have and I'm 40

Last for tonight, little did I know when I painted this that nearly 20 years later I'd have responsibility for the real thing! The original painting now stands on my desk

In 1996 I was Assistant Verger at St Michael's Church, Aberystwyth and ran the car park from 8am to 1pm every day. I had a sketch pad for the slow times and bashed a few out like this one:

A poor photo of one of my favourites that I've done, from 1999, the Bishop's Castle Railway "Carlisle"

I and a couple of others work with our licensing team on all sorts of things, from "those" clocks to children's books and all sorts in between. I have had input into some of the texts, but have not been involved with the models themselves.

Let's see how it goes. I have today been advising about one of the locos on that list.

Bought CoT this morning in Sainsbury's was quite pleased by the result and a bit of paint and file work will give a good static model. The chimney has a brass band round the barrel rather than on the cap and there's an extra smokebox door handle. One of my tender steps is wonky too, but as I say, nothing that can't be sorted. I've yet to get it out of the packaging to have a more detailed look. I don't think it is the end of the series though as the compiler of the magazine was asking me for Battle of Britain loco details a week or so ago. Anyone having trouble, Bishop Auckland seems to have the series in both Sainsbury's and Smiths.

British Austerity Saddle Tank Locomotives http://www.amberleybooks.com/shop/article_9781445633428/British-Austerity-Saddle-Tanks%3C_BR%3EThe-Amberley-Railway-Archive-2%3C_BR%3E%3CI%3EGordon-Edgar%3C_I%3E.html?shop_param=cid%3D14%26aid%3D9781445633428%26 Well worth a punt, saw one in Durham Waterstones this morning, fabulous photos of the things at work across the country, in military and industrial service.

The author of the magazines is Tony Streeter, ex Steam Railway editor and now freelance writer. He will know his stuff, and I've assisted with some of the details for the series.

It's under a steady and very high quality overhaul, I think the next big push is the boiler. Not seen it for a few years, but the bottom half was coming on nicely. The ownership passed from Kettering Council to the Welland Valley Traction Engine Club so that was a major incentive to get on with it.

Mine doesn't have any instructions in the box...

Don't worry...I'm just an industrial anorak...

Me too. still got it lurking somewhere fortunately, but the glue on the binding all came apart so it ended up as loose leaves...

Afraid not, 65 is in bits at the Flour Mill and its boiler is currently carried by Sapper at the East Lancs. Lord Phil is/was Hunslet 2868 of 1943, rebuilt as Hunslet 3883 of 1963 as the trial gas producer/underfeed stoker Austerity formerly known as Coal Products No.6 - we have the stoker from it in the NRM collection.

Thanks Nigel, you're indeed right. I'll just pretend on the model it got mended...I recall it was brought in from Manvers Main to be used at Cadley as folks thought being quite young, it'd be ok, but they reckoned without the life it had led. Certainly it lost a lot of its motion to another Austerity whilst at CH. Can't recall if that was Swiftsure or Cadley Hill No.1. Incidentally, No.1 although being a 1962 engine has a much older boiler on it these days, from another donor brought in during the 1970s to CH.

It was at Cadley Hill in 1983, so yes, BR blue all the way. I'm delighted that this is being offered as my nascent layout is firmly Leics/Derbys colliery as I used to work at Snibston. Order firmly placed!

Penderyn is rather jolly and a very different alternative to Scotch single malt. As for other hobbies, sad to say that 35 years' worth of 00 got sold last year to fund the rather large drain on resources that is our 15ton Aveling & Porter steam roller. I daren't tell Mrs C the full extent of what I've spent on it over 10 years taking it from a derelict wreck to a fully working machine. Suffice it to say that it's been a 5 figure sum and I've never taken anything out of the household pot for it. That said, I now have permission to board out the last unused bit of loft space for a layout...steam roller, it's payback time!

I had a look at the real 1008 yesterday and can confirm that the flush rivets on our NRM model are correct for her current condition.

2 of John Wigston's prints of ploughing engines in our lounge, along with 4 of my daubings. Grew up with a copy of Cuneo's "Night King" in my dentist's practice - would love a decent print of that one day...

Went in yesterday, the shop has 3 weeks to go at most. Made a modest purchase - which was half price, wished the chap behind the counter well and left. It's thought that the company will continue to trade over the net - but with a much reduced stock. Get there while you can, but the railway stock is diminishing daily. Some real bargains to be had if you're into American and German stuff though.

Agreed on that one Dave, I had a hand in helping with some of that book and it was far better and more comprehensive than I expected - so much so that two colleagues have asked me to get copies for them too.

I second this, I've not bought many books this year, but the pile of them in the NRM shop after a quick browse meant this was an impulse purchase I have not regretted.

The Iron Horse bar was next to Burlington passage too, with its fake coach sides facing onto the street. Wasn't there a 7 1/4" Royal Scot in there too. Wyatt & Tizard was also an occasional visit for us, Dad took all his old Triang there and part-exed it for a Hornby Albert Hall from memory.

The Train Shop, Warwick, in both its locations, Coten End and St Johns, had a lot to answer for. Very sad when that went for the last time.

The NRM Sentinel is at Streetlife in Hull at present; I'll do some digging on the Archive, but either the Sentinel Drivers' Club or Sentinel Trust would be good starting places. One place the archive isn't is York. My list of what archives are held where is on the desk at work and I won't get there until Monday, but it you can wait that long...