It’s good to be welcomed here and to recognise some familiar names from another place, plus a special thanks to John Dew for introducing me to this community.

I’ll start with some background, I was born and grew up in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, (W-s-M from here on) early on in Era 4 and as my bedroom looked right out over the W-s-M  to Taunton line it was inevitable that I’d get the train bug early.

In those days W-s-M was a very busy station, terminus of “The Merchant Venturer” and with many Devon bound trains pulling in en route further SW. We had Kings, Castles, Halls, etc in abundance so it was a spotter’s heaven, further supplemented on visits to my Grandparents in Bristol. The holidays that I remember most vividly were rail day trips to Minehead and to Cheddar where I recall discovering the delights of branch lines and tank engines (of which more later). All this ended abruptly on advancing to Grammar School, study and various sports and the appearance of Diesels which never did much for me!

While not in “Four Yorkshiremen” territory (I’m an avid Monty Python fan), we did not live in looxury either and I recall getting a very modest Hornby Doublo setting, which didn’t hold much interest for long.

My first real layout was 25+ years later, built together with our three children and they wanted a proper setting. We did what seemed like a decent job in a very large room, it had IC 125s, Steam and other Diesel. Prototypically accurate it was NOT but very many fun hours were spent together!

Jump forward to the start of a new Millennium and I was back home in W-s-M when I spotted a Merchant Venturer Hornby boxed set. On an impulse I bought it and stuck it away for that rainy day when I could do something with it. That day was in 2014 when my son convinced me that it would be good to get into modelling, rationale - the grandchildren would love that!

Along the way, we moved to Australia, that’s been our home and here we’ll stay. Like everywhere it has its pros and cons, big positives have been that we have been able to bring up a happy and healthy family, now with 6 grandchildren. I’m fortunate to have a great bond with them that has been enhanced through our various shared railway activities, both modelling and real world. Last year we completed a 3 Generations Rail “Road Trip” to York (NRM), Birmingham, Kidderminster (SVR) and back to London, 7 of us spanning some 60+ years in age.
 
Colin

Welcome to the group from Ocean Grove - we need  a few more Aussies here! 
Cheers

Trevor

Welcome to the club Colin. :Welcome  You probably wouldn't recognise Weston now.

Glad to be able to help Colin. Its great to have another GWR fan, I get a lot of grief from non-believers about all my Panniers!
I am sure you will enjoy the relaxed and friendly atmosphere at YMR

Best wishes from a rather grey Vancouver

John

Hi Colin and  :Welcome               Me Mam still lives in Weston and Alan is right, it's not what it was ! 
My main memories of Weston  were regular trips up and down from Bristol TM to WSM on the then 'New' Intercity 125's as a 'prentice Engineer' for B R,  fixing recalcitrant electric doors. At first they sent full blown Engineers to open up the panel and 're set' the relays, then a Boss found out that in fact all they were doing was ' four handspans down two across and thump' ten seconds work and no screwdriver involved to re set the relays so after that the Job was given over to an Apprentice. Brilliant Job as you joined the train at TM, walked through 'thumping' and then enjoyed the rest of the trip to WSM, cross over and do the same on a return trip to TM

Looking forward to hearing more once you settle in

Cheers

Matt

A warm welcome, Colin, a great introduction!  

Regards

Michael

Hello Colin,

Welcome to the club.

Jeff

Hi Colin,

A warm welcome.

Nigel

[user=374]xdford[/user] wrote:

Welcome to the group from Ocean Grove - we need  a few more Aussies here! 
Cheers

Trevor

We do???

Ohhhh … yes … we DO!!! 

:twisted: :twisted:

I thought the Aussie contingent had already taken over, Trevor. 




Welcome. Colin, from sunny Blackburn South (actually raining outside at present).

:Welcome :Welcome

Jeff.

:hi Colin, from sunny Essex, UK

 :Welcome



Ed

Welcome from a pannier fan!

Panniers? …. proper engines.
Welcome aboard.

Hey, welcome to the group. Looking forwards to some photos!

Welcome to the Club Colin.

There are many exiles on here already - in fact, probably almost as many exiles as there are Aussies - "almost" …………..

3 generations and 7 of you on a rail tour to the other side of the globe where it all began - that's something to be proud of.  Clearly they've been well brought up…………………..apart from that GWR thing you seem to like.  I'd have thought, after visiting the NRM and  York, you'd have switched your allegiance to a real railway.  Mr Dew is, alas, a lost cause ……………. :cool wink :cheers

Hi Colin,


A hearty welcome to the club from me down on the edge of the Solent.

Hello Colin and welcome to this happy band of brothers from a sunny English Channel, en route to Pannier Central in the Western Loire.

Always good to welcome another right minded Western believer and as you've probably realised by now, we're all reasonably tolerant to other colours! I just bought a Fowler 1F open cab, simply because it's a splendid looking machine. 

Chat more soon,

Best,

Bill

:Welcomefrom Cornwall UK.Piran

Welcome aboard Colin from a repatriated ex-pat!  After 17 years in Melbourne I am now "back home" though SW of London currently and still 300 miles or so from my spiritual Cornish home.

My Aussie layout was Penhayle Bay which has been featured here and elsewhere and retains a significant following on Facebook despite having been broken up over two years ago now.  Take a look.  I don't mind admitting it was good.