Essence

Here we are 2015 is nearly gone, & a full month of summer also fades with it as well, a new year looms very fast & with that to most it will mean more new models to arrive, & scenes akin to a Boxing day sale may not take place, but when one reads the Facebook home pages along with blogs for different importers it sort of does not seem that far from it, as the frenzy in anticipation comments take over along with a lot of thumbs up.


2015 for me has been all but a write off since end of  October following a knee replacement which is still slowly comming good, little of anything other than some, meaning a very small number of new trees, as the sit down enables me to cull old ones & ponder on other items. The nice arrival of the 43cl was my loco highlight for the year, the pondering has certainly been enhanced by the sale of Austrains to Steven Pracey of SDS models.

The announcement was in some ways a bit of a semi shock but only I guess as the sounds from John Eassie for a while now, even allowing for some false starts, deflections with some well placed hits to almost every part of the field, but not really down the main pitch or the keeper. No news at this point of time has come from Steven except for the impending relase of some S wagons used for various works type tasks in the later years of their service, & 3 packs of the VR GY wagons, each a neat addition to the respective states modellers.  The GY's no doubt will have some updating to bring them up to a standard that we have expected from SDS in the past & for the future.

For me the anticipation for what the future holds especially with this sale will be in the news release from SDS as to what they are looking to do with the items included so far in the acquisition, but not forgetting new releases of their own models so far on notice & probably some new ones as well. So as I personally wish Steven the best for the future, I also thank John Eassie for his input into the hobby, & I wonder how far it ever will be from him? So I hope that John may enjoy this new life & cruising be it on or in whatever mode he desires, & looks after his health.

One can wonder though, if the snippet news in an edition of the AMRM a little while ago that JE, was actually going into British HO models & the time in the Austrains line is wearing down, with Britrains to be his signature retirement projects. One way or another interesting times ahead.

At this point of time I would like to extend my best wishes to all & their families for the new year. May you enjoy good health & the year ahead provide you with all you would seek, peace & enjoyment.

Col