Hi Fred, greetings to another railway fan!
My interests go back about sixty years, and the venture into a larger scale of working (16mm:1ft scale) for the past thirty years. Describing it would be quicker if I just suggest a visit to
www.mrjigstones.weebly.com which has a lot of photos of my efforts past and present, some videos etc. Oddly enough there are two others in the music club I belong to who also have railway modelling interests, both indoors and out. Could be something in the water
There's a narrow gauge railway close at hand - The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway - which is a favourite haunt, though the track length is unfortunately still short of being a worthwhile journey. My current steam loco is a copy of 'Lew' (named after a local river, along with 'Taw', 'Exe' and 'Lyn' - a new build replica by the Ffestiniog Railway in Wales is called 'Lyd') and is one which served on that line from 1898 up until 1935 when it closed and was lifted. Relaying the entire route again will be a challenge for many years to come.
Anyway, if you want to get in touch again by email, please do...there's a contact link - swap notes maybe.
Pete.