Still we cured that one by buying a huge industrial style fan.

Having got the fan I don't think we have seen any sun and the temperatures in the workshop hasn't got over 23.

So we are now the manufacturer of colour lenses for signals. Yes these are exclusive to us RoR.

I hope to revamp the signal range in the coming months and offer some budget signal kits. We are also now supplying all our signals with LEDs - as pictured on the right.

Waiting on feedback to see if this is a good move.

Right - running behind on Hercules orders we used a metal fabrication company to produce 10 bodies for us. Thought we might have a storage problem but then 5 went straight out to customers.

A big thanks to the club for hosting our 5th Ride on Railways Day. Yes I can't believe it. On the right is Markus who came over from Germany to pick up his new custom body Hercules.

Club Day

Chingford run a bi-annual club day which we were kindly invited to. The day gave me the opportunity to give "Captain Howey" a good test run. This engine has 4 motors which were specially produced by Fracmo for us to try out.

The motors are fantastic and it is nice to have a more British made loco. The down side is that the company consider the market too small to justify setting up production so these four motors will probably remain the only ones produced by them for 5" gauge locos.

The Captain Howey style loco is also the test bed for playing with various details -

• Angle iron chassis
• Raised window frames
• Box pan folded main body
• Rounded bull nose bonnet
• Multi radius roof.

I need to do another body as I am not happy with this one, but as Clark seems to have adopted the loco, for the short term this body will do. If any one is interested in one of these locos it is something we could possibly do in the quieter months.

Yes 10th July 1999 saw use screw in our golden spike (yes it is still there) and run the first train round the garden.

To celebrate we had a friends and family day on the line. A big thank you to all those who came (with excellent food) and helped make it a great day.

The railway even had a cake bought for it and we sang happy birthday. Had trouble lighting the candles in the wind so it didn't need to blow them out.

It was nice to see an early Trojan (number 9) return to Romford and have a good run on the railway. Some day I must track down number 1. Simon if you are reading this please get in touch.

This year we have we have had a few visiting groups

• Clark invited his school class round (right)- it is always nice to see peoples reactions when they haven't seen the railway before. Picture is of the artic set and one bogie coach.

• Ilford and West Essex Model Railway Club have had two visits now - see Youtube. 1st visit made for a very interesting intense run with 419 trains in under 3 hours

• Local scouts- their 3rd year now - 3rd Gidea Park

She is recovering well (although getting frustrated at this moment in time), David has obviously not been allowed to come out and play at the workshop as often as he did.

Not having my dad help out has meant that we are running behind on many orders. I haven't resorted to actually building any bogies myself yet, but it has got close.