The castle my Dad made me.

When I was around 7 I was hooked on TIMPO figures.

Cowboys... Knights... Crusaders... Romans. 

Every week I'd go to the local toyshop in Sydenham and spend my pocket money on a figure, or I'd save up for a Jail or a Wagon.

I loved pitting the Romans agains the Cowboys. Anything went really. 

And the one day my Dad turned up with a castle he'd made me out of wood.

I've still no idea how he kept it secret. It's a big thing and we lived in a 2 bedroom flat on the 4th Floor.

My Dad was always great at mechanical things and making stuff out of, well, anything really.

This was perfectly sized for my TIMPO figures and even had a working drawbridge.

I played with it for years, but like all things I guess, eventually I grew out of it and it was passed on to other family members, I think initially a cousin and from there I don't know.

About 15 years ago my Mother managed to get it back. 

It was a bit battered and people had added little bits to it over time, the shield above the drawbridge for example.

There were no figures so I bought some from Ebay and Toy Fairs and, well, wherever I saw them. And I stored the treasure away.

I told myself that one day I'd repair it and see if I could upgrade it a little.

And then time passed.

And earlier this year my Dad died.

He knew how much I treasured the castle as a young boy but I don't think he knew how I still treasured it as an adult.

I decided repairing and upgrading it would be my next Project.