About me

My name is Ged Holmes, I'm married to Tina, we have four children and two dogs.  I work for Plumbing Trade Supplies., a national builder's merchant.  My spare time is spent doing familly stuff; walking the dogs, helping my wife with her Border Collie Trust volunteer work, spending time with the kids, or repairing an old railway engine or two.

My wife and my family are the most important thing in my life but there is another side that I used to try and hide, mainly because of the bad press that my hobby normally has to put up with. However with the likes of Pete Waterman, Michael Palin and Rod Stewart admitting their passion for the same hobby, I feel like I'm in good company.

My name is Ged Holmes.... and.... I like Trains.  There you go I feel better now!

Most people who know me understand that I am a rail enthusiast, but few know why.  The blame sits firmly with both of my Grandads, both were engine drivers.  Frank, my Dad's Dad was a Midland man based at Derby untill he took the Golden Handshake in the late 60's and Jim my Mum's Dad was a North Eastern driver again originally based in Derby, but a well travelled man throughout his career.  Both finished their days in Burton On Trent but  based in different sheds.

My earliest train memory is being put in the cab of a big green diesel engine at Burton station by Frank; I was four years old and he knew the driver.  It was a long machine with a big round nose in front of the cab.  In later life I realised that it was a Peak, the type of Locomotive that would become such a big part of my life.  More on this subject elsewhere on this site.

Enough ramblings.... please feel free to have a look around there will be lots of photographs of all things railway related along with buses, lorries, steam tractors and rollers.  My family will make an appearance at some point I am sure.

The galleries will start small but will grow with time as I have an extensive collection of photographs and slides and an addiction to taking more.

One again many thanks for visiting and please come back.