Hi all,
Thank you for allowing me to join your club.
I am 68 years old , and have been retired from my full time work for around two years now.
My first train set was a birthday gift from my parents when I was seven years old , a Triang Jinty and four trucks . The track was mounted on grey plastic .
We ( mainly dad ) added bits and pieces to the set until it was large enough to be mounted on a baseboard around 6 x 4 ft . The board had to be kept in the garden shed because there was no room in the house . The running stock and furniture was in a wooden box under my bed .Every time that I wanted to play trains , dad helped me in with the baseboard and off we went- until one visit to the shed when I was nine resulted in hysterics from me . All of the track had been ripped away and stolen .
We eventually sold the running stock and as I was approaching my teens , different interests took over.
Fast forward twenty years. After leaving a business meeting I walked past a model railway shop , went in and exited with a second hand Hornby Britannia.
Fast forward a further thirty five years . I have an OO layout in my loft approx. 20 x 30 ft. This is a continuous loop with sidings and a branch into a terminus with five platforms . I have around 20 locos ,over 50 coaches and 80 trucks. Some RTR , some kitbuilt and some RTR butchered around to make them look real . The problem is that I hardly get into the loft as I have a prolapsed disc in my lower back which can get very painful.
My plan is to have a simplified layout in a bedroom vacated by my daughter . The room is around 20 x 15 ft . A continuous loop would be very difficult for some of my running stock , so I am thinking of a terminus in a small town .
I have plenty of track which I can use but some of my coaches need " fine tuning " . For example , I kit built six Bulleid " Southern Pride " coaches . I bought some " Keen Systems " close coupling units ,but I am nervous to fit them because I don't want to make any errors . I have other kit built maroon coaches , have tried lining them with transfers , with some horrible results .
I am quite confident to make some new baseboards , lay and wire the track but may need some guidance from somewhere to improve the rolling stock.
My leaning is towards SR in the late 1950s . My treat in those days was our holidays in Bournemouth , steam hauled from Waterloo . We stayed in a relative's house just across the road from Bournemouth Central . When we weren't on the beach , I was standing on the bridge over the railway in Holdenhurst Road.
I hope someone can help and advise me on the upgrading of some of my rolling stock and engines . I am at present making an inventory of what I've actually got in running stock , to see what running repairs need to take place,
Regards,
Michael Benson

Welcome Michael and yes, pose questions and you will get answers as there are many helpful people in YMR.

Hi Michael and a warm welcome to a friendly bunch of railway modellers, where you'll always find answers to your questions.

Settle in and speak soon,

Bill  

Welcome, Michael.   :cheers

We love photos - as soon as you are ready.

If you have any difficulty in uploading them, we will show you the ropes.

Cheers

or . . .

Thanks!

Hi Michael hearty welcome to YMRC Thats a very nice peace of modelling Keep up the good work

Best of Luck from South Wales UK

Enjoy Forums

Noviceman

Hi Michael

:Welcome


Sounds like you have quite a collection.



Ed

Thanks , Part of the undercarriage just detached itself and needs gluing back !
Michael

Lots of stuff but can't really run it  :sad:

Hello Michael,

Welcome to the club.

Jeff

Thanks Jeff

Welcome from France Michael.  :cheers

20 x 30 in the attic is about the same as mine but lately, I haven't been up there much either………….. :sad:

I suppose someone has to model Southern ( ) but I do like that blood and custard coach - is it kit built ?

Just take your time to have a look around here and, when you're ready, fire away with the questions - as Sol said, there's an expert willing to help on almost everything somewhere on here.  :thumbs

:hi Michael, a hearty welcome to the club from me down on the edge of the Solent,


:Welcome

Hi Michael and welcome to the club. I see you managed to find the welcome  thread.Great introduction by the way.

Hi ,The crimson and cream coach in the photo is a " Southern Pride " Bulleid Brake kit . Not sure whether these are on the market any more .
Got lots more Southern models if you can bear to see them !
Best , 
Michael

Welcome to the site,:Welcome,

It sounds as though you will benefit from wading your way through many threads on this site, it certainly has helped me.



We may have shared the beach at Bournemouth, we came down from Wiltshire on the bus, it was exciting to travel on the Bournemouth yellow trolley buses for me.



 Enjoy it Here



Q

Thanks Q

Welcome from Cornwall.Piran