1000 posts...

I can't believe it but it's been over 10 years that I've been writing about my model making, initially a personal blog but since 2017 with an additional focus on commission work...

Over the years somehow I've gathered over 630000 views, readers from every continent apart from the Antarctic and today, posted my 1000th post! I have completed 7 model railways, started another four and built hundreds of models for myself and others. I thought on this occasion I should mark things with a snap shot of the blog over time, but for now this potted and rambling collection of memories will suffice - and to be honest probably suits the nature of a blog anyway...

First post: Why an independent blog

Most read post: Creech Bottom at Great and Small

Favourite commission: 7/8ths Hudson Hunslet

Favourite layout: Return to Churchwater

Favourite post: It's in my blood

Milestones: First NP kit

This small selection, picked from these 1000 is just a small snapshot of the material here - if there is anything you want to look for in particular the search is pretty effective, and the later posts (certainly the last two years) use tags, which can also be searched to find what you're looking for, or other things related.

The first post reminds us of another world, when RMweb Community had just launched with the end of RMWeb3, I was modelling OO gauge modern (well 2000ish) era. The most read post always puzzled me, there must be something about it, or perhaps it was linked to somewhere, but that one post had nearly 1000 individual reads. My favourite commission is still the batch of Hudson Hunslets I built last year, with more planned this year, a real triumph for me working in a multi facetted approach into a batch built model. My favourite layout is the small but perfectly formed 'Return to Churchwater' - I can't quite put my finger on it, but it's got a certain something that gives it the nudge over my other efforts. My favourite post, about my interest in industrials ties the past to the present, and the big milestone, my first kit design, starting after ExpoNG in 2013, with the O&K that went on to be Narrow Planet's first steam kit - and the first of many similar projects and designs over the years.

Thank you to all who read my ramblings - I really write this for my own peace of mind, it is a useful distraction away from the other aspects of modelling for a living, and allows some reflection and downtime, as well as tying research and photography together, another two of my favourite aspects of this wonderful hobby of ours. As ever, for now, more soon...