Well, after what at times seemed like never-ending months of planning and waiting, the
house move has finally happened, we have left behind frenetic life in the M4
corridor and are now happily esconced back in Lincolnshire from whence we came
twenty years ago. The boys have settled into the new school - we can hear them
in the playground from our back garden - and Mrs P is starting to exert the disciplined organisation
on my office that only an ex-teacher can provide! She
is fast learning the difference between a 3 inch Burrell and a stapler, we'll
move on to the more difficult stuff later. You may well get her on the phone if
you call during the day - do say hello.
After a couple of somewhat unexpected visitors during our
first couple of weeks here, could I repeat something that I have brought up
before. I very much enjoy meeting you all - it's always interesting to talk
steam engines and more often than not I learn something along the way. However,
there are a couple of things that you must bear in mind. First, this is my home - it's not a shop or warehouse, most of the engines here are my own
collection. There are no "opening hours" as such, invitations to visit are
strictly by appointment - no ifs, no buts, no exceptions. There are two reasons
for this - firstly I value my spare time and privacy but secondly, and rather
more importantly, I am often not in a position to offer the casual visitor the
time and attention they deserve. If you want to come over and have a look at an
engine, talk about steam, lay track (see below) or simply drink tea I would love
to see you but please, call or email first to make
arrangements that are convenient to both of us.
The garden at this house has much potential for a railway (why
else do you think we moved here?) and I hope to get a start with track laying
over the winter months. There is an old stone-built pigsty with pantile roof and
arched door which will just allow the Tinkerbell through, with about two inches
clearance either side and three inches over the chimney. At ten feet long the shed will accommodate several 7 1/4 engines, but
there is insufficent room inside for manoeuvring without some kind of traverser,
so first job is to dig out the floor and concrete in some rails for the purpose - I think I can get at least two and possibly three roads in with some juggling
about.
