When Clinton Buller started his model train collection about 20 years ago, his hobby was made easier by the fact both his wife and a son were as keen as he was.

Now a member of Wairarapa Railway Modellers, Mr Buller had some of his rolling stock on show at the Wanganui Model Railway and Engineering Society's North Island model expo at the Wanganui Racecourse over the weekend.

The 56-year logging truck driver from Carterton said he only got interested in the miniature trains when he went to a model show "and I found it was me".

As with all modellers, it's about the detail, and Mr Buller's train that was in the model expo was part of the Wairarapa club's "mobile" show. The club has created a completely transportable layout that can be taken apart and reassembled wherever the show may be.

But his own layout in the family home takes up most of the space inside an 8m by 6m room.

Apart from the cost of buying the models, Mr Buller said there was the time and effort taken in creating the lifelike layouts, and that's something his wife has taken responsibility for. It's part of a layout that can have up to five model trains running at the same time.

Mr Buller's display in Wanganui featured a goods train hauled by about four diesel locomotives and wagons laden with miniature stacks of milled timber and whole logs.

Only these "logs" were sourced from small manuka branches.

"There's no one thing about the trains I prefer over something else. I just like them all," he said.

Mr Buller's hobbies don't stop inside that special room in the family home. He also collects classic trucks and he's got three "at the moment", an indication that that collection is certain to grow. Just like his train set.

- WANGANUI CHRONICLE