Well, whilst I await delivery of my moderately large N gauge layout, I have turned my attention to filling the 6 feet of space adjacent to where it will sit in my studio. One plan had been to construct a 009 narrow gauge line, but that way lies madness when you start to look at just how little there is available. And so when I saw that Trainline Models had a ready to ship shunting layout of just the right size, for £795, down from £895 with shipping at £60 and conversion to DCC at a mere £20, I began to do some calculations. I rapidly realised that as they had it listed on an internet auction site, they would lose over £100 in fees alone, serving neither they or I.  It was in fact, not put too fine a point on it, money pissed right down the drain. And so, after a few very cordial and positive emails back and forth a price of £775 was agreed all inclusive with delivery in the next 2 weeks. GREAT! Nobody has lost out and I have a rather nice scenic shunting layou...

Now, I paint for a living. That's right, I paint 5 days a week and earn as much as I did as a Civil Servant. My advice to those of you who want to quit the 9-5 rat race and take a similar jump... Don't be so fucking stupid! But that aside, I exclusively work on a black base coat for clients and to be honest it's something of a matter of pride that I can get red, yellow or white to cover in a single coat on that base colour. So, it might surprise you to hear that today, I made a return to a pale undercoat in an attempt to return to the time I love - the early 80s - in order to rediscover my mojo, my inspiration and some joy from painting. More importantly I wanted to pay my sincere respects to someone. Back in the ever darker shadows of my youth, back when you could count the number of GW stores on one hand, before the time of heretical blasphemy which was slotta bases (they'll never catch on) and blister packs (you stole one of the truly harmless pleasures in li...

Back in those hellish years of adolescence, we gamers and geeks and general social misfits not only had to put up with being bullied, shunned and ignored by our peers, but also had to face something with far more terror potential than all the rest put together... Parents! They stopped us being out late, disapproved of the girls we brought home and assured us that the only way to a thick head of hair was to get it cut regularly. And now, despite all that I would like to pay my most sincere respects to all of those parents who had their treasured homes filled by hordes of fantasy obsessed, denim-clad yobs for so many years as we descended at regular weekly intervals (daily in some cases) like a Mongol horde to fill dining rooms, bedrooms and living rooms, rapaciously devouring any food in our path. And so... Peter & Sheila Ashmore: Peter was wise to us. I have rarely been as scared of anyone's Dad, as I was of Peter. Mr Ashmore frankly took no bullshit fr...

At the weekend, the caravan of gamers from Sheffield, made the annual trip to the wrong side of the Pennines for Britcon in Manchester (where it's always sunny apparently) in glorious Summer sunshine. We like Britcon because, unless you are taking part in the competitions, there's no entrance fee. This translates to more money to spend and that can only be good for the traders. I guess there are about two dozen traders every year and a bring and buy, which, has been pretty good in the three years I've gone to Britcon. We arrived at 9:30AM and met up with a few friends who admit to heralding from Manchester and Stockport and headed towards the bring & buy which, was closed until 10AM. When it did open, we found that a dealer was 'working' the bring and buy, and that he was grabbing choice items with the assistance of those on the stall. Comments were made about pimps and hookers and the public being 'marks'. And it wasn't me saying it for a ch...

In my youth, well over 3 decades ago, I developed a real love of wargaming the Vietnam War.  Back then, it was considered quite tasteless to do so (although the Falklands soon took that crown) but I and a group of friends really got into the period. My favourite rules were 'Bodycount' by Ian & Nigel Drury. My Nan bought me them on a trip into town from Games Workshop, Sheffield (yes, THAT Games Workshop) and they were great; being a mix of wargaming and roleplaying. Anyway, I looked everywhere for them last month and could not find them, alas, alas! I mentioned this to the venerable Tim Gow, author of Megablitz, gaming personality and general all-round sterling chap. Tim said he may be able to help. Well, Tim spoke to his people, who in turn spoke to the Drury people. Deals were done in smoke-filled, dimly lit rooms. Small countries were overthrown, airstrikes were made. And Tim arrived at my secret hilltop base with an original copy of the Bodycou...

So, after leaving you hanging at the end of my last post, what was it that we saw? It was dear reader, the answer to my prayers and the beginning of a life of penury in the shape of a specialist gaming establishment by the name of Games Workshop the first of several dedicated game stores in Sheffield. It was back then, with its amazingly broad range, and enthusiastic, knowledgeable staff and distinct ambience, a place of almost holy reverence for my generation. It was in essence, my place of worship and weekly offerings were to the gods of games in ever-increasing amounts, a pattern that has continued ever since.     These days, game stores seem more obsessed with ‘image’ rather than content, more about form over function if you will. In the ‘golden age’ it was more about the product, the hobby, the fun. It was all about playing games!        In 1982, the concept of providing the gaming public with a single ‘temple of games’...

On this, our first trip into town for a month since that fateful clash with Geoff (Or ‘That Bastard’ as he had become known), Alan wanted a record from Virgin Records, which lay in the shadow of that russet monolith. Sheffield had more than its fair share of interesting architecture back then. Of particular note was ‘The Hole In The Road’ essentially pedestrian underpass that allowed several lethally busy streets to be navigated by the simple expedient of going underneath them. Built in 1967 T’ Hole In T’ Road as it became known locally was a roundabout at the junction of four main roads. The middle of the roundabout had a hole in it like the summit of a volcano, which allowed light to pass into the large pedestrian underpass below.    This underpass contained shops, a large fish tank and even public toilets. It was a great place to skateboard or in my case imagine I was deep in the dungeons of a fell necromancer. I’ll not waffle on about it any further but make a...