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We are all saddened here at MRTV to let all of our viewers know of the sad death of Editor, Nigel Overington. More details, together with an obituary, can be found on the Blog. We will be appointing a new editor shortly, but we have kept Nigel's details below to remind us of what an inspiration he was to railway modellers.

Nigel began his lifetime’s interest in model railways with a Hornby Dublo 3 Rail on a ply board hinged to the bedroom wall. That was stored when he joined the Royal Navy and only re-appeared for trade-in when he returned to the hobby many years later. He only had time for limited modelling during his time at sea, so his first real layout had to wait until he left the Royal Navy on medical grounds. That was built in the loft of his current home but suffered from the usual temperature extremes and is now hidden behind the rubbish. He has dabbled with odd boards since, including one in N gauge, but there’s been nothing permanent.

Nigel readily admits that designing, but never building, dozens of layouts has, in part, been due to a skill gap. But he sees that as a major advantage working on ModelRailway.tv. He said: “When Ashdown asked me to help set up the programmes it was on that basis that I was well qualified to talk on behalf of modellers rather than at them. “

“Whilst stuck at home, my railway interests have developed in many directions. I have predominantly been a south of the country fan in the steam era, just remembering the final years of steam in the Redhill area. “

Nigel also enjoys the modern image, however, as displayed at Eastleigh recently. He said: “Whilst my modelling has been almost exclusively in OO gauge, the last few months have given me a growing regard for modellers of all gauges, regions and countries. If I were just starting, I would face a difficult decision as to gauge.”

Apart from visiting shows, clubs and manufacturers for MRTV, Nigel keeps up to date through his long- standing membership of Southern Locomotives Limited, as well as both the Bluebell and Swanage Railways and the South Western Circle. Nigel added: “The members of Fareham & District Model Railway Club have the misfortune to be the recipients of the majority of my constant modelling questions.”

Geoff’s first experience with model railways was an 8ft x 4ft Hornby layout his dad built him in the garage. But as Geoff concedes: “Knowing what I know now about model railways, I suspect it was really for him.”

When Geoff left home he never gave another thought to that layout, and his passion for model railways was only sparked again some 12 years ago, when his own son was aged six. He said: “I was passing a local model shop and a HS225 Intercity Hornby set caught my eye. I bought it on impulse for my son’s Christmas present. Building a board to mount the track on and all the other ‘bits’ re-kindled my interest.”

Geoff snapped up all the books and magazines he could find and says he’s “just gone on from there, buying all ready to run stock, both group and regional steam stock, right up to modern image.”

Geoff spent 22 years with the Ministry of Defence, initially as a helicopter engineer, and later maintaining computer systems. He’s now semi-retired and has a part-time job looking after a school computer system.

We think he spends every waking minute on model railways, but all he’ll admit is: “ I now have some afternoons for my railway interest as long as the jobs detailed by my wife are done.”

Geoff’s one regret is that he didn’t join a club until about six years ago. “I reckon I would have had an easier learning curve,” he says.

Now Geoff has a reputation as a compulsive layout builder and has made five Hornby Trackmat layouts for people as well as several layouts for others at the club. He’s just finishing his own 16ft end-to-end modern image layout based on a club exhibition layout he helped build a few years ago.

Geoff has also started a module board building project aimed at the large influx of new members to the club who want to improve their skills so they can make their own layouts at home. Geoff says: “We also aim to bring them together for a club night running session with anyone’s stock. “

Geoff’s plans include making a small broad gauge layout., and he has awhite metal brass kit and BG engine to make!

And what happened to that first Hornby layout his dad built? “I later found out he gave it to my cousin,” Geoff said.

Elliott can’t really remember when he first became interested in trains. His father’s first job on leaving school was working on the LNER under Gresley, so Elliott always grew up appreciating the finer points of railways.

As a teenager he was a member of the Fareham & District MRC and also his school’s Transport Society, but university, fast sailing dinghies, kit cars (yes, he really did build Hustler bodyshell 002), and real ale intervened.  After uni he taught science until he decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and run away to sea; here he learnt to be a proper engineer, ultimately winding up as an information systems engineer working for the UK Government.

This final phase of his working life included a spell on loan to the US Navy and whilst living in Washington DC he re-discovered the joys of model railroading, visiting and operating a number of large basement layouts. On returning to the UK Elliott returned to the fold at Fareham, Surrey, and helped steer the club through a traumatic period of relocation and redevelopment.

Finding his working life increasingly taken up with managing outsourcing projects, and realising that it was taking a serious toll on his health, when asked to undertake another major project he made the conscious decision to step off the Information Super Highway before he became road-kill.

He now works part time in his local model shop and his local sailing club’s bar.  He is a member of the EM Gauge Society and both the Swanage and the Churnet Valley Railway projects.  His main claim to fame is that when he went to arrange for the banns to be read for his marriage he discovered that his wife-to-be was one of the select band of direct descendents of Richard Trevithick, something of which he is justly proud!

 

Nick Duxfield is the manager of Bahnhof Europa, the non-UK section of the Gaugemaster Model Railway Showroom at Ford, near Arundel, in West Sussex. He’s been helping railway modellers at Gaugemaster for over 10 years. His responsibility covers all gauges from the new, minute T gauge to the considerably larger G gauge for outdoor enthusiasts and he is one of the leading UK experts on European model railways. His scenic models adorn the showroom walls and his latest masterpiece is being filmed by ModelRailway.tv prior to becoming the centrepiece in the Engine Shed, the UK half of the Gaugemaster showroom.

Formerly involved in the furniture industry, he is also, of course, as passionate railway modeller in his spare time.