Articles & Ideas

I was born in 1957 so was a child of the 60's.We could play on the streets happily and in the playgrounds, explore in the woods and have untroubled fun! As I reached working age I embraced everything I could enjoy on my small wage. I remember my first job in Camberley working in the postroom of a manufacturing firm - right next to the factory that made Wagon Wheels. They were certainly much bigger then, in fact the advertising was on the lines of "I bet you can't fit one in".

In those days you could leave a job and walk into a new one in days.

In 1973 my dad left the Army after 30 years and we moved back to my home town of Epsom, Surrey. At the age of 17 or so was when I started to appreciate the beauty of working machinery, and the wonderful design that still works today. I remember the old motto - if it ain't broke don't fix it!

We have always lived a simple life - partly by choice and by finances.As we get older we become nostalgic, is that a bad thing? No of course not, as long as we take off the rose colured glasses at times!

As a Traditionalist I enjoy remembering the things that stand out for me ie. Fish & Chips - the joy as a child on holiday at Hayling Island, when at the end of the day we would all sit on the sands on the beach enjoying steaming hot, vinegary fish and chips out of newspaper.

Vintage transport - I still remember the smell of warm leather on a hot summers day.

Cricket on the Green - I am not a big fan of cricket but seeing a match played on a lovely village green when you are out for the day and sitting down to watch and enjoy a picnic - just heaven!

Steam trains - I am fortunate to remember steam as a child and then the smell of diesels. Now we have over 50 restored steam railways of different gauges that we can all enjoy. I love The Bluebell Railway and the Watercress Line in Hampshire.