Out on the mountain bike this morning I found myself cycling around Plaum's pits in Swindon. This pit is a lake formed from old clay workings. Many years ago the lake was divided in to two, two thirds for fishing and bathing, the rest for model boats. Now just fishing and thriving as a habitat.

Alongside the lake there was a raised 3.5/5" gauge track where I had my first experience of driving a (model) loco.

I had a hunt through the undergrowth to see if any of the track remained, all I could find were a few concrete posts and a beam that supported the track.

The local model engineers now have an extensive track elsewhere in Swindon.

Got me thinking about the many happy times at that long gone track and the not so happy time when I went along to the local ME club meeting with a view to joining. I think I was about 15 years old. Asked someone about joining and was told to "get lost, we don't want your type here", I've toned down the actual wording, it was some very bad language that would make a 15 year old blush.

As I walked back to my bike a guy came up to me and apologised and told me of another local ME group that met in a local school, come along to that, a good bunch of blokes he said. I did and he was right. Made some good friends. Only two of us left now.

One guy who used to come along might be familiar to GWR enthusiasts, Ernie Nutty,a fascinating guy to chat to.

John