What's been achieved?

I seem to spend most of my time reading what others have done. That said I have acquired a good stable of stock and a fair bit of set track. For Christmas 2007 Santa was very kind (or was that my creditcard & paypal account?). I managed to get a near new (certainly unused) Master Cutler set for the average cost of 'Prince Palatine' when split out from the set. The additional 4 coach pack was purchased at the same time, so the Prince runs with seven impressively detailed (to me!) Gresley coaches. The packs were handed to my better half, wrapped and placed under the Christmas tree. Not a particular suprise, but exactly what I wanted.

I also got the earlier Hornby Master Cutler train pack with 'Flying Fox' and three BR Mk1's, again, wrapped as a gift by my suffering wife. A few months back I had bought three coaches split from this pack, so the Fox, now hauls a more realistic 6 coach train, carrying the 'Marylebone - Rugby - Sheffield' boards.

A view of the tracks Christmas 2007	The tank engines
4-6-2 "Prince Palatine"	4-6-2 "Flying Fox"

I've put my new bobble hat on and you get a peek at the images above. Oh you lucky people!

Since then, I have managed to aquire a few more items from that auction site, and along with both the Master Cutlers, my simple 8"x4" double track circuit is rather full!

Locos hanging around the loop is as follows;

• Fowler 4MT in early lined BR black (alternative late logo body)
• Fowler 0-6-0 4F in unlined LMS black
• 2x 0-6-0T Jinty in LMS crimson (as a preserved engine I think)
• 0-6-0T Jinty in BR lined black
• 2-6-2T Ivatt Class 2MT Push-Pull early BR lined black
• ex-Caledonian 0-4-0T saddle tank 'Smokey Joe' BR lined black
• Freelance industial type 0-4-0T in BR Apple green
• Freelance industial type 0-6-0T in red
• 0-6-0T A1X Terrier LBSC 83 'Earlswood'
• Type 2 (Class 31) BR green, early Hornby in poor condition
• Type 2 (Class 31) BR green, Airfix in great condition
• Type 3 (Class 47) BR two tone green, 'Mammoth'
• Class 52 'Western Courier' in BR maroon

Of course the Western is unlikely to have traversed the London Extension through Helmdon in reality, but my twisting of history means that it took intercity trains from the South West up to the North East, via the Banbury GCR link. All the other engines have a pretty valid reason to be at Helmdon, except of course a Terrier!

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