 About
me
I've been into photography, railways and
modelling them in miniature for 40
years. As well as creating the some of
the commissioned and personal projects
showcased on this website, I also write about
model making and undertake photographic
commissions for the UK based Model Rail
Magazine, associated publications and books.
Other interests include playing in a band,
fine ale, social and industrial history.
Now, a bit of a
model railway bio....
When did you
first become interested in model railways?
Back in the late 1970's whilst I was living
in Sweden as a spotty teenager.
What drew you to the hobby?
I'm not quite sure really, though I've
always had many hobbies and I recall around
that time being rather into building and
flying model aeroplanes. Quite where the
interest in trains came from is a mystery,
though I do remember being given a ride
around Gothenburg station on the diesel
station pilot - could it have been that?
Can you remember what was your first
purchase?
A Lima Deltic - the 'Fife and Forfar
Yeomanry' in BR Blue bought by mail order
from Hattons of Liverpool in 1978. I still
have this engine in first class condition
too!
What scales have you worked in?
Nothing very ground breaking, just the
popular OO and quirky OO9 gauges. I have
thought of modelling in EM and P4, but I'm
mechanically inept so I have resisted those
- and to be honest even if I could I really
don't have the time.
Which is your favourite prototype railway
and why?
I've followed the Somerset & Dorset
Joint Railway for as long as I can remember.
Alas I never did travel on the line, and
even if I did, I was only 3 when the line
shut so it's unlikely that I'd remember
anything about it. I do vaguely remember
just after moving back to the UK from Sweden
in the late 1970's, seeing the derelict
Radstock and Glastonbury stations still
standing before they became landfill. The
rest of the obsession I simply have to blame
on Ivo Peters, the prolific railway
photographer from the post war steam era.
Ivo lived in Bath and photographed the line
and people extensively. Through his eyes and
lens he captured more than just images of
trains and stations - he captured the soul
behind the railway.
Why the former S&DJR? I'm not sure, but
it did and still does (with various
preservation projects now on the go too)
appeal to me and in my mind at least it
congers up the perfect English railway
running through my favourite part of the
country.
How often do you visit prototype railways
to gain inspiration for your modelling?
As much as possible. For me there is nothing
better than spending a nice sunny day
photographing freight diversions or steam
specials with some great mates and then
going for a good old knees-up down the pub
afterwards!
How many layouts have you built in your
modelling life?
Too many to count, though the first 3 only
ever got as far as a bit of track and some
Superquick cardboard buildings The
baseboards from each being cut up and
reformed for the next layout. The third
layout was sold to make way for Combwich
which was my first serious project. I still
have this layout, albeit much changed and
improved from its original form when I
started it in 1980.
What are some of the good developments
that you have seen in the hobby?
Modellers more than ever before are
realizing that there is a lot more to
realism than 'correct' flange-ways, bolts
and exact scale gauge. Influences from the
USA and mainland Europe where model makers
frequently embrace the overall scene
equally, is at last starting to have a real
effect over here too. The internet and more
recently social media have created a highly
effective platform for people to share and
exchange ideas. This 'real time' tool is
really making modellers push the boundaries,
which in turn is producing some really
exciting new model railway projects and
layouts!
Are you a member of any model railway
clubs?
As a lad when living in Southampton, I was a
member of the highly regarded Southampton
Model Railway Society. There, through the
teaching skills of the likes of Ian Wilkins
and Malcolm Snelgrove plus several others, I
learned the art of track building, kit
construction and how to make proper scenery.
I'm in dept to these guys for that
invaluable knowledge which is a little like
riding a bicycle, for despite having a
sabbatical away from the hobby between 1985
to 2000, I didn't forget any of those highly
useful skills, even though some of them were
a little rusty for a short while upon my
return!
Currently, I'm not a member of any model
railway club, but I do visit clubs on
regular bases when out on commissions to
photograph layouts for publication. Through
this privilege, I have discovered some great
clubs with fantastic facilities with
wonderful people and bonhomie, with all of
them making me very welcome during my few
hours of temporary 'membership'!
What do you enjoy most about railway
modelling.
When I see an inspiring picture in a book, I
then want to read about the people and the
location, trying to work out what it was
really like to live and exist in the
portrayed scene. Understanding more than
track geometry and what engines were used is
vital if I'm going to have a successful stab
at recreating something from the past in
miniature which has atmosphere and a feeling
of time and place - to achieve that I need
to know about the personalities and the
fabric that made or makes up the community.
Chris
Nevard
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