The Final Sad Stage of Anorakitis

[WOODLANDSWOLF]

I've always been an Anorak, avid collector of train numbers as a kid, still a railway nut and owner of and still adding to an extensive stamp collection. Now in my dotage I have decided to take the final step and build myself a model railway.

I have got the layout area ready in one end of my "office" at home [see photo], have ordered, online, some track, a loco and a couple of wagons just for starters and will see how it all develops. I chose "N" gauge because it is the smallest and I will be able to get more "stuff" into the available area. But holy crap is it expensive! I have gone with pre-owned to start with but with my birthday coming up am hoping the family will chip in with new stuff.

The setting is going to be "Black Country Industrial" from the 50-60s. I have found a great site on the net where you can download cut and fold card models of all kinds of railway and commercial, residential buildings and backgrounds and the best thing about it is it is free.

My ambition is to complete the layout before I go to the great loco shed in the sky. Fingers crossed!

[Woking88]

Excellent stuff Woody! I hope that you will keep us updated with progress. I am absolutely fascinated with model railways and frequently visit the many sites on you tube. Hopefully yours will be on there one day. Good luck with it and, as I say, please keep us updated.

[abbobrom]

Woody, in my early secondary school years , like you I was fanatical about railways, although my interest waned a bit after the demise of steam. I now often go down to the stations at Stafford or Rugeley and watch the trains rattle through.

My mate at the time, Roger Goode had a train layout in his parents garage, we spent ages in there and made frequent trips to Bagnals model shop. I always wanted a model train set, but limited finances always prevented a purchase.

There used to be a huge layout at Alton Towers, but I don't know if it is still there. Each year the Stafford Railway Circle organise a weekend exhibition at the County Showground at Stafford. Most of the midland Model Railway Clubs support the venture with their layouts. It attracts massive crowds over the weekend. However, Covid put the dampers on it last year.

Like Wokes I will look for updates.

PS I am sure you will have seen either in real life or on film The Crinoline Curve at Stafford by the old English Electric factory. Well in the last couple of months the factory, that used to employ thousands, has been raised to the ground for residential construction.

[WOODLANDSWOLF]

Thanks for the interest gentlemen and will be happy to provide updates. Although I think it will be a long slog! I have seen those layouts on Youtube and they look terrifyingly good. If I can achieve something that even vaguely resembles their quality I will be happy.

Yes, I remember the Crinoline Curve very well. I used to cycle to Stafford very often as that line that ran in front of the EEC was the West Coast Mainline at the point where it veered away from the Stafford to Wolverhampton line and cut across country, hence robbing Wolverhampton spotters, like me, of a chance to see all the famous London-Glasgow expresses and their associated locomotives. Always a happy and fruitful excursion.