Buffer Stop

Just a group of mates playing trains and eating pasties

Writing this, we’re just getting over the South West Area Group of RMweb’s annual get-together in Taunton. In many ways, it’s typical of small shows taking place up and down the country. Held in a village hall, there are layouts, a few people selling second-hand items, a trader and of course, delicious food.

For a few hours, all the troubles of the world were forgotten as old friends came together to talk model trains and compliment each other on their layouts.

This wasn’t a closed event, and was advertised on the forum. People have been known to travel long distances to attend. Others simply popped down the road. Entrance was free, but donations to charity were welcomed.

No-one expects to make money from this. The exhibitors come for the fun of it, paying their own expenses, but this didn’t reduce the quality of exhibits. Quite the opposite, we carried out three photo shoots for future issues and have arranged two more for a time when the layouts are ready to show their best side.

Big shows are great, but there’s definitely something special about little ones, too. If you’d like to put on an event, perhaps this is the way to go? It’s good fun, and you never know who might come through the door and catch the railway modelling bug!

The RMweb servers have been upgraded, but what was the first computer you used?

Andy: Something bigger (and slower) than Babbage’s Difference Engine that just spat the punch card out and said “No”! I should have heeded its advice.

Debbie: ZX Spectrum for me, although the only thing I remember was the ‘Horace goes Skiing’ game.

Howard: A BBC Micro at school. First home computer was Windows 95 – a Pentium II at 133MHz, but wait, the ‘turbo’ button clocked it to 166MHz!

Phil: ZX81. 3D Monster Maze is still the best computer game ever. Not that I played games, of course...

Ruth: Sinclair ZX Spectrum. I actually managed to programme the old tennis game!