Awkward Introductions

Many years ago, when I lived with my parents, I had a model railway. This was packed away when I left and has since been filling several shoe boxes in the loft. Recently I have had stirrings of a desire to unpack these goodies and to build another layout.

I thought it may be amusing to track the progress of this; photographing key stages; linking to material that provide inspiration or help, and even provide this for others.

It's going to be a slow process; I've not even decided on where in the house it's going to live. And there's the following things to be considered:

• What scale? I'd like to use OO, but lack of available space and having modelled in N in the past means it's going to be the latter.
• British or Continental? Oh wow, this is a tough one. I'd love to build a continental themed layout, preferably Swiss; I have a fair amount of continental outline rolling stock too. Trouble is, the availability of models of some of the classic Swiss and German is limited. So, it's likely to be British.
• OK, what period? Hmm, slightly easier. Whilst I like the modern era there's too few locomotive types and it's too homogenous. The most exciting time was around the Modernisation Plan when there were some, frankly bonkers, diesels and you can run some steam locos too.
• And finally, where? Until recently that would have been a head-scratcher too, but I've been reading The Ironstone Quarries of the Midlands - The Northamptonshire Area by Eric Tonks and Off Northampton Shed by Derek Mutton. Both are fascinating books and have helped me decide to model 'somewhere in Northamptonshire'.

Well, it's a start. It may be a while before I make any progress worthy of a post, and when I do, it may not necessarily be about model railways.