This is the first in our weekly "Meet the Team Mondays" where we share more about the people that make MRW what it is today,
Hi I'm Dan!
I started MRW way back in 2018 and have been running the business for the last six years.
I’ve been interested in ride on miniature railways since I could walk.
MRW is now the biggest supplier of portable miniature railway tracks in Europe and probably the world! After exhausting the batteries on my plastic ride on the railway, my uncle helped me build a bigger one out of wood in the back garden but a house move quickly meant that this had to be taken up. On my 10th birthday I was able to start volunteering on miniature railways and did this immediately at Barton House Railway in Norfolk.
I started off as a porter, then became a guard and eventually a signalman. I was also in charge of all of the passenger carriages and eclectic locos. A lot of responsibility for a teenager! I then took it upon myself to rebuild a number of electric locomotives for BHR including a early Cromer White 0-4-0 and and a 3 ½ inch gauge electric Bo-bo.
I’ve been volunteering on full size railways for a long time too! Starting as a cleaner on the North Norfolk Railway in 2012 at just 16 then progressing on to become a fireman over years of training, practice and learning.
Product design
My background is in product design. Having had a lot of experience with miniature trains throughout my childhood I became fascinated by people like Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Fred Dibnah. I actually met Fred at a “meet and greet” after he did a show at the Theatre Royal Norwich. I have a vague memory of my mum pushing me through crowds of old men to make sure I got an autograph from the man himself. This is still one of my most prized possessions. I was eight at the time!
Education and Dyslexia
Going through school was very tough as I was diagnosed with Dyslexia at a young age. This has been greatly challenging and can can cause difficulties when writing articles like this or just simple things like writing a product description.
On the flip side, Dyslexia gives me some luck in being able to visualize 3D form quickly and has benefited me with an ability for logical thinking. I’ve always been a huge advocate for accommodating hidden disabilities and have been lucky enough to meet many other people inside the engineering world who are dyslexic and have achieved great things.
Going through school my difficulties with Dyslexia were very pronounced and meant I really struggled in larger classes and especially in exams. I was however very fortunate that my family fought the local authority for them to give me the support I desperately needed and eventually after going through two tribunals the council were forced to fund a private specialist school. There I was blessed with access to an amazing product design building and lots of very supportive teachers who encouraged “making.”
I’ve continued to believe strongly in the importance of education. I undertook a year's placement in industry as part of my Product Design BSc Degree and we now offer similar placements to design students who want to gain hands-on experience of manufacture.
I’m proud to say that during my time in education I got the opportunity to make many weird and wonderful designs such as a 7 ¼” M&GN brake van and driving truck, multiple gilders and a controller stand, a train station as part of my A-Levels, toys for children, multiple pet related products, a product to water your garden for you, a cardboard stool and even a bus stop!
