It’s A Small World

A small corner of Rod Stewart's "Train Set"

A small corner of Rod Stewart’s “Train Set”

I don’t know what it is, but in my life I’ve often noticed a link between cycling, photography and trains. Oh yes. And beer.

Maybe it’s just my imagination, but it works for me.

A propos of nothing, I was half listening to BBC Radio Five Live the other day when they had an interview with The Great Coiffed One – Rod Stewart – when the chat started to go in the direction of model railways, railroads, if you like.

Well, I say “model railways“, but to Rod’s fairly obvious irritation the interviewer kept referring to Rod’s “train-set” and, although he didn’t actually say it, playing trains.

Just to put this in perspective, Rod’s “train set” is, of course, massive, about 7m x 40m, 23ft x 127ft. And Rod actually built it himself, although he admits he has a guy who does the electrics and electronics. His tour requirements don’t stipulate blue Smarties, but an extra hotel room in which he can do a bit of scratchbuilding.

I’ve heard tell, that Rod puts being on Model Railroader magazine’s front cover above any others including Rolling Stone and Billboard.

Apparently, Rod isn’t the only celeb model railway enthusiast. He mentioned several other well known and sometimes, rather surprising modellers. I mean, Neil Young?

So, where’s this leading?

Over the years I’ve been a bit of an armchair modeller. That is a railway modeller without a model railway. Actually, this syndrome is pretty common,, but, in my case, I’ve decided to make the plunge.

This isn’t going to be a “nail a couple of bits of track to a board and call it a model railway” sort of model railway. I’m going to make it as authentic looking as I can.

Chris Nevard's Polbrook Gurney Colliery

Chris Nevard’s Polbrook Gurney Colliery

There’s a guy called Chris Nevard who’s actually doing what I can only, at the moment, aspire to. I’ve put a typical image from one of his layouts to the right. There’s a link in my list of favourite websites and blogs.

My own layout is going to have an alternative history, situated in a place where there never was an actual railway. It’s going to look as if it fits into a landscape and I’m going to be trying a few of my own ideas in that respect.

It’s likely to be situated on the western side of Dartmoor, on the Devon and Cornwall border, but more of that another time.

Boltorr Road Halt

Boltorr Road Halt

In the meantime here’s a taster.

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