We Thought We'd Share This...

 ... because we have a Chapter in it!

Available here.

Real punk steam?

So.  Hornby are celebrating 100 years of selling model railways. And releasing lots of new (and old) stuff in recognition of, basically, longevity.

And although I've gone on about rockets before on this blog (eg here, here, here, here, here, here, here (sort of), here (by extension) and here - and to be fair, other places too).  But Hornby are re-releasing one of my favourite rockets from the sixties.

This one....

All very wonderful, but as a result they may have overshadowed their interesting new 'Steampunk' range.  Labelled as Bassett-Lowke, I suspect to distance them from the main range and pacify the rivet counters.

The new steampunky products  aren't that special at all, but as a move to link together hobbies as diverse as model railways, science fiction and role playing games, this is an interesting development.

So as well as ordering a model of the winner of the Rainhill Trials, I bought a chaotic, steampunky, shabby 0-4-0.

Joy!

Dark

This will eat your life
http://adarkroom.doublespeakgames.com/

Taupi

I've just found out that Albie Fiore died late in July (see the Guardian obituary for details). I didn't realise that he'd touched me in two (minor) ways. I really knew his name as the editor of The Fiend Factory in White Dwarf (and author of one or two other articles). To me, his was a name from the late '70s and early '80s. RPGs and other games. I suspect he was also technically the first person to accept and publish something I'd written.

The surprise is that he was also Taupi, the crossword compiler for the Guardian. (And Satori for the Times). Today there is a fine commemorative crossword by Enigmatist and Paul in the Graun. Well worth while, and not easy, even tho' one solution is given at the start.