Bosses at telecoms provider Pure Comms can be excused for having a one-track mind following the installation of a 50ft model railway in their boardroom.
But while any of the firm’s 10 staff, or its visitors, can play with the train set, there is a serious side to it – it will be used to demonstrate the firm’s advanced technology.
Founder and managing director Rob Vivian said: “We’ve done it because it is fun, but also to show how we are at the cutting-edge when it comes to technology. It is controlled digitally and from September the whole layout will be controlled via smartphone.”
That means anyone will be able to operate any of the 34 OO-gauge model locos from anywhere in the world via their phone.
Six mini webcams have also been fitted to the train set and will be linked up to the company’s website, allowing visitors to watch the trains and switch between views.
The idea for the train set came from railway buff Rob when he decided to fit some cabinets to the walls of the firm’s boardroom in its Grade-II listed head office near Clevedon.
“It’s a big room with a pitched roof which comes right down, so when we fitted the cabinets we had a lot of space on top of them.”
Pure’s finance director Colin Pearson, who makes model buildings in his spare time, decided to work on the layout and Rob, who part owns a real, working steam loco – the GWR King class Edward I – bought the model locos and rolling stock.
It has been built by model train expert Mick Parrott, who spent over a year working on it.
Pure Comms supplies telecoms services to firms such as Bonhams, Cooperative, Bristol Airport and Britannia Windows.
Pictured: Pure Comms’ finance director Colin Pearson with the train set
