Today
I was up well before dawn to drive to Reading. The more observant of my readers
may wonder why I arose so early as I only had to be at my Premier Inn in time
for bed. That was because I had a treat waiting. One of my fellow students on
the post-graduate course I have just completed invited me to see his model
railway, and what a model. He lived in the Chiltern Hills in a large house that
had a purpose converted annex to house the model railway that was his
retirement present to himself.
It
faithfully reproduced the area around Dundee in the early 1960’s, including the
Tay Bridge, and off to the side a branch line to North Berwick. Everything was
faithfully modelled although of course some liberties had to be taken with
geography because of space. It is a good era to model as there was an eclectic
mix of steam and diesel traction around at the time. With digital control of
locomotives it is of course possible to operate multiple locomotives on the same
track and perform complex operations. Indeed the layout can be used to simulate
a summer Saturday in Dundee in real time!
Having
observed for a time I was able to undertake some operations. Starting with
goods train shunting in North Berwick yard, and graduating to passenger trains
on the mainline. It was interesting how the model realistically conveyed the
run-down nature of the railway of that era. It was possible to identify actual
locations on the model from period photos.
So I
had a really pleasurable reminisce over lunch and an opportunity to observe and
operate a fine model.
One
question I have for the Wrights, we were perusing the timetable for 1963 and
there was a through train from Glasgow to Colchester. Our only thought was that
it could be for the army. Any other thoughts?
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