|
It started, innocently enough, with a modest 00 gauge set of engine, tender, two coaches and an oval of track. I remember it vividly, the engine was the Princess Royal, the coaches in LMS maroon livery and I was hooked. By the age of eleven I had a layout covering the floor of an attic. No scenery of course, I was only interested in operating the trains. No matter that I spent every penny of my pocket money on the layout, there always seemed to be something I needed when I called at the model shop. The layout was in the classic 00 gauge, this was long before N gauge became popular. Being a keen train spotter I had plenty of train movements stored in my memory which I reenacted at home. I suppose I was fortunate to live in Newcastle when the railways were in their heyday. Newcastle Central had some 25 platforms (not counting the six which were used by the local electric trains) so there was plenty of activity. I always dreamed of modeling the Newcastle/Gateshead layout but it would have taken a huge room (and more money than I was ever likely to have). What made the location interesting was the fact that it was, basically, a huge oval comprised of the station on one side, Gateshead engine sheds on the other, and linking them were the High Level and King Edward bridges over the Tyne. Of course, apart from the London—Edinburgh express trains, there was the local traffic. At the West end of the station, six platforms served the Carlisle route, at the East end a similar number served the North east coast route to Sunderland and beyond. And these were the days of regular half-hour services so there was always plenty of coming and going. Like today, the world of model railways never stood still. My early layouts were constructed from “standard track” pre-shaped sections which could be combined to produce different layouts. Then came flexible track bought in metre lengths and cut and bent to suit. This track looked superb when laid on special grey foam which simulated the ballast. Even without scenery this track made a layout look authentic.
|
|
Kirkby Stephen layout. 7mm Scale. Owned by Keith Robinson in Halifax |
|
LNER Pacific 4472 The Flying Scotsman |
|
What young boy hasn’t had, or hankered over, a model railway?
I was no exception, with a father who worked for the LNER, an uncle who was an engine driver, grandparents who lived in the shadow of the King Edward railway bridge, what else could I do?
Before long it became a passion, consuming every penny of my pocket money and, eventually, a whole attic room! |
|
On to |
|
Back to |