The person, who in my opinion would know more about this than anyone else, is Cyril J Freezer (thats his correct name) and he lives or lived in England. I have a book written by him set in the thirties, mainly to do with wind up trains but nevetheless has some good tips on garden railways.
I don't know if he is even still alive but if you could locate him you will get a lot of information.
Ian
Thank you. Mr. Freezer is alive and well! I've determined that much.... now I will try to locate him.
Elizabeth
I can tell you Elizabeth he is decades older than me, and i willbe 70 on 23 December. I have seen a photograph of his wife taken in the 50's and she looked a lot like my first wife and was dressed similar to her as well,in the fiftees.
Rgds ian
Here he is, Ian.... Mr. Freezer, looking quite well indeed! www.uktrainsimlive.com/images/colch2005/Dcp02031.jpg
Cheers!
Rene Schweitzer
Classic Toy Trains/Garden Railways/Model Railroader
Alan, Oliver & North Fork Railroad
https://www.buckfast.org.uk/
If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there. Lewis Carroll English author & recreational mathematician (1832 - 1898)
Have fun with your trains
Cyril looks like a Pom to me, which he is i guess. But seriously i am of the opinion if you get one good idea out of viewing some one elses layout or reading a book you have done well. The one i got out of his book was to do with "getting there". The idea is to put a small foot bridge over a cutting to allow easy access to an area and then this bridge becomes the roof for a tunnel. Very smart and very practical in my opinion.
"Pom" is not normally considered derogatory. It's like calling an American a "Yank" or a Canadian "Canuk" (hope I spelled it right). It came from the English skin tone looking rather like a pomegranate to the Australian eyes. The only thing to watch for is to NEVER, I repeat NEVER, call a Kiwi an Aussie.
The Dixie D Short Line "Lux Lucet In Tenebris Nihil Igitur Mors Est Ad Nos 2001"
The Home of Articulated Ugliness
Ralph:
I love the strange (and the even stranger) - and, your website rocks!!! I'm about to go spend a bit more time there. Thank you most sincerely, Elizabeth
PS This Ridgeback/Slope bit - I have no idea...
The word Pom is Australian for an English person and it is simialr in meaning to the term you Americans use "Limey". It can be insulting but mostly its not, more a term of freindship but friends can have a falling out and we do often (Australians and Poms). But if you knew Australians well; we wouldn't be bothered to ridicule you unless we liked you and wanted to have some sort of relationship with you.
The very worst thing you can get with an Australian is the use of the term Mister; This means we are not comfortable with you and would like to distance ourselves from you. If you call yourself Mr you are regarded as an ignorant person.
We do ridicule most other people of an english speaking background and we love to be ridiculed right back. Our order of preference has changed over the years from English, Americans then anyone else to Ourselves, Kiwis then South Africans.
I think the term Limey, came from British sailors who were frequently seen sucking limes, to ward off scurvey.
elizabethhanby wrote:Wow, Ian, interesting, I guess. All I can say is I've never heard an American use the term 'limey' to refer to a Brit. I've read it in books - old books; and, I do understand its origin.
http://www.bekonscot.com/
one of the oldest public model railways i know of
The McAlpine family had a steam light railway for many years in their country home
http://www.pardoe78.demon.co.uk/wolseley.htm#fawley
Nic once more i get the idea that you are not an Aussie; just a pom living in Australia. I was born here in the outback 70 years ago and have lived here just about all that time (mostly in Sydney) my mothers family have been here for 200 years and owned a property in outback New South Wales on which they renewed a 99 year lease, twice. Also i am one of the few people that have visted all states of Australia and both islands of New Zealand several times. I can tell you i did not understand word you said.
hmmmmm, and I always thought that "pom" was actually a language evolution of 'P.O.H.M' .......
POHM appeared on the ships carrying the original 'settlers' to Australia. POHM stands for "Prisoners Of Her Majesty".... as the original 'settlers' in Australia were infact British convicts sent there from the 'empire', much like a large scale Alcatraz but with no wardens.
(I guess Australia started out like 3 mile island in the film 'Escape From New York')
Thus, when any new Brits came over to Aus they were (and still are) refered to as POHM's (poms).
Have fun & be safeKarl.
(disclaimer: before I offend any of the Aus members, I know not ALL the original settlers were convicts, but I beleive that is where the term comes from)
Karl you haven't said anything that would offend real Aussies believe me mate.
The idea that you have about the word Pom is one of about twenty that are bandied about.
A lot of Sydney type slang comes from British Naval terms, as the original colony of New South Wales of which Sydney is the capital was run by the British Navy, up until the Rum rebellion; when Colonel Lachlan Macquarie took over with has Highland Regiment and put the rebellion down. The Scots nearly died from the heat, they arrived in full kilts and even piped themselves off the ship at Sydney Cove (now Circular Quay) in the middle of summer, i dont think they knew they season here are reversed.
For instance Sydney beers are just about all Naval Terms, This is very rough
200 ml Ladies Waist.
275 ml Middy
375 ml Schooner
500 ml Cruiser.
ml is a millilitre, it is hard for me as when i drank in pubs it was in imperial measures and i have forgoten over the years.
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