Gordon Ashton – Templot

I am a retired Customs Officer of some 42years service, who has spent time in a variety of disciplines in the department, but not VAT.

My last few years was spent arresting people, seizing duty free cigarettes, tobacco and spirits along with the vehicles that were transporting the aforementioned goods.

My retirement consists of model railways, some time at the AVR and Millie my short wheel base Land Rover.

My modelling background is P4 with previous forays into EM, 3mm, N-gauge, starting with 00. I have been building and designing my own point and crossing work for at least ten years using Templot.

I have not been involved with the main line companies but have been an active volunteer on the Avon Valley Railway. With this railway I was firstly trained as a driver of our 5 ton steam crane and through this skill spent quite a bit of time working with our track gang. This also involved laying new track and point work and learning how various bits went together.

I also worked my way up to driver on the steam side but have had to stand down due to health problems, but am still involved with some crane driving.