It’s a funny thing, both here and on my YouTube channel I can see the stats: posts and video about full size railways are about a quarter as popular as my modelling. Yet for me, whilst not the mother of my love of this hobby they are such an important fuel for my well-being they continue to feature in my life and my work…
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| Carrog Station without trains. A place of calm tranquility, beauty and yet gentle anticipation. Saturday 8th June 2024. |
Living alongside the preserved Llangollen Railway means a great deal to me and in those moments of fancy when I day dream about moving to the coast it is the counter of ‘but I love being beside the railway’ that helps ground me here in the Dee Valley. You see whilst you visit and enjoy the trains, I live here and enjoy the railway. I see it in all seasons, all weathers and all occasions. I see it in mundane work overalls and Sunday best and I see it both struggle and succeed. It is alive to me.
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| 3802 in high gloss black makes an impressive sight AND sound as it departs Carrog on Saturday 8th June 2024. |
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| After the train has gone that sense of calm and gentle anticipation returns. Truly a beautiful place. Carrog, Saturday 8th June 2024. |
As important I see echoes of my childhood in 31271 with its tired and ‘lived in’ Railfreight Construction paint scheme. I lived and breathed this period as a child, books from the library and on the platform at
Chester. Watching it on 1950s coaches reminds me instead of playing trains with Tim on his un-scenic but large double track mainline model railway where we’d use our Lima diesels to pull his Dad’s steam era stock. As I have grown up I’ve invested the time in pausing to reflect and recognise these connection points. They have added to my love of trains yes, but in today’s world they help keep me healthy in mind and body.
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Tired and worn 31271 on the mixed suburban rake arriving at Carrog on Saturday 8th June 2024.
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| PW crane at Carrog, Saturday 8th June 2024. |
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| 31271 at Carrog, Saturday June 8th 2024. |
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| 31271 at Glyndyfrdwy on Saturday 8th June 2024. |
So you will continue to see the real railway here on the blog and
YouTube (
Instagram too) because you can’t take the real out of the model. These elements are intrinsically connected through my head and heart. I wouldn’t be the modeller I am today without the inspiration and life I find on steel rails. Until next time, more soon…
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I've seen something similar with my blog, though probably 50% less interestt in my full size articles. I'm afraid it shows a lot of modellers aren't interested in the prototype and how real railways work.They are the one who invoke the dreadful "Rule One" and claim there is a protype for everything
ReplyDeleteI’m not quite sure it’s that, and to be honest, I care little for how the real railway ‘works’ but I recognise its importance in my passion for the subject.
DeletePerhaps with modelling people can look beyond the subject and appreciate the art, so even if you don’t like 1990s diesels you can enjoy posts about Paxton Road whereas the prototype is that, and we all have our favourites and preferences? As always thanks for the comment and thought provoking message!
I think people look at Paxton Road to see modelling first and foremost, seeing how you approach a subject rather than to look at the prototype, after all most of us can go outside and watch trains ourselves, we don't need the internet to do that (within reason of course, it would be difficult to study the Scottish scene first hand if you lived in Dorset for example). On me own blog I take a different view, anything prototype is for my own record rather than to share so I'm not bothered by view counts.
DeletePaul I’m not hung up on the numbers per se, but we blog for a variety of reasons and one of mine, quite honestly, is promotion. I don’t do any traditional advertising other than supporting NG&IRM, so my blog and its traffic is what generates commission work (and book sales).
DeleteHi James
ReplyDeleteHope you are having a relaxing weekend. I like the posts with the Pi Sentinel diesel and the east European works cameo layout. They both gave the feel to me of the real world . I agree to an extent with James Finister and it seems too many model railroads have models of models and are freelanced without reference to the real world. This seems especially so when narrow gauge or industrial railway based layouts are produced. I agree that you do not necessarily need to know how the real railway operates ( especially in the smaller cameo styles you produce). However knowing how a rail scene and associated rolling stock looks and have some fidelity to the prototype is key. That is something you do admirably- it is a gift and an art
Best regards
Alan
Alan, a pleasure to hear from you, I’ve missed your comments recently. Yes, perhaps you’re right, and thank you too, that is very kind.
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