The next train is for 1994...
Our model railways and specifically their trains are quite literally the 'vehicles of our dreams'. As I journey forwards on my N gauge adventure it seems to perpetually lead back to the 1990s...
I had a day of low mood here this week - in these moments I found myself interrogating my feeling of melancholy (or saudade) and quite why I am drawn to this particular time period, the 90s... was it that moment of 'growing up', a time before adult responsibility and prior to the anxiety and insecurity of my mid to late teens... was it more simply the child in me becoming more aware of the railway at large, excited by the changes and before the despair of privatisation? This perhaps is a topic to explore more in a seperate post...
The art of railway modelling isn't about the craft, nor the results - but the journey
Whatever the reason I find these wonderful models (this, the 150s and more recently the Class 90) from Graham Farish draw me back to this period. They are an escape if you will, from the world I inhabit now, one full of real life responsibility on the cusp of war and environmental annihilation... no wonder this simpler time has an allure...
On a more practical note these pre-privatisation liveries become location agnostic - where didn't a 158 Sprinter roam (well apart from the Southern region)? More, these late model Sprinters kept their colours longer than some, I rode plenty of similar units on trips to Open Days in the 90s and then onto University in Durham at the end of the millennium... memories again, first hand memories beyond the pages of a book. A connection point... Worth noting too that today I ride them on Transport for Wales services to Chester and enjoyed them on the North Tyne Valley service in the summer. These trains continue to mean something to me - their presence being a physical manifestation of that memory, a train to transport me beyond my destination, to happy memories and all that follows...
So the Farish 158 has arrived. It is a wonderful model - purring beautifully on my Hi-fi Micro shelf layouts. More than its performance though, it really has captured the character of the prototype beautifully. Pictured here on Wrecsam it will equally find a home on Pont Dulas, Lochdubh and Denton Road in the months and weeks ahead. The best bit about all of this though? This time machine takes up no space what so ever... I can realise my dreams in N gauge in a way that has never felt possible in the larger scales.
So where does all this rambling nonsense get us this morning? I wonder, if reflecting, there are key models that connect to a key period for you - and how the art of railway modelling isn't about the craft, nor the results - but the journey. Until next time, more soon...
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Lovely model James. In truth, I struggle to like sprinters as they replaced the excitement of a 33+MK1 coaches on the Portsmouth - Salisbury part of my yearly rail journey to my grandparents in Somerset, the 159's replaced a 50 and MK2 coaches to Yeovil jnc. They undoubtedly kept the railways going, were more reliable and easier to work on, but lacked the drama of a loco. My first trip to Cornwall in 1995, I stood in the vestibule of a 158 from Portsmouth to Liskeard, no hope of a seat. Your models represent the reality of the times though and are superb. I'm sorry to read that you've had melancholy times this week. There's a howling gale outside, down here in Cornwall so I'm tucked up in a chair with a mug of coffee, some railway books and a pad of A4 paper, jotting down ideas for next year's N gauge adventure. Thank you for inspiration as always. Take care.
ReplyDeleteI think we’ve had this conversation before! I saw the overlap and we didn’t loose our loco hauled at Chester until later so their isn’t a cause and effect for me… but glad you enjoyed the nostalgia
DeleteHi James,
ReplyDeleteI suppose my equivalent of your '90s is from the late '70s to the late '80s, though despite being in the Cold War it never seemed much to worry about.
I don't know when the 158s started being used on the Brighton-Cardiff service, though they were certainly in use (in silver "Alphaline" livery) by 2004 when I worked checking tickets at Worthing. They're probably the 2nd generation unit I've done most miles in, Brighton to Bath as well as Cardiff and many times from Birmingham International to Welshpool, Machynlleth, Aberystwyth, Towyn and Porthmadog...in fact, I last travelled in one from International to New Street on the day I saw you at the NEC.
When well maintained, they still offer an excellent journey.
I've got an older dummy set, which I may motorise using a spare ex-168 chassis in the stash.
Something I notice is how different the cab ends look in the original livery with rather more yellow than they have now.
We're currently in Kent at the old house for a couple of days, it's very odd with almost no furniture and no cat jumping on the bed...
Cheers,
Simon
Thanks Simon, that was the last time I was on a 158 too… stalwarts today. The TfW ones look pretty close to how they were initially really, full yellow ends and the dark grey windows. The modern Northern colours suit them too, as does the Scotrail saltire. Some others in between are best forgotten! Transpennine maroon being the worst I think…
DeleteI remember you working at Worthing station Simon. The passenger who missed the last train to Selsey by quite a few years!
ReplyDeleteI'd never really paid much attention to the West Coastway line until then, as I didn't have much cause to travel on it, and I assumed that it was pretty much the same as the route east of Brighton...which it sort of was (EMUs everywhere) but with the addition of quite a few services from Brighton off the Southern Region. By '04, there were (then new) South West Trains Desiros to Basingstoke and Turbostars to Reading, the aforementioned 158s to Cardiff, and top-and-tailed Fragonset 31s with shocking pink a/c Mk.2s to Weymouth and other places. I remember the odd aggregate train, too. Trying to figure out where those 20 years have gone...and I wonder what the Selsey Tramway would look like if it had neither closed nor been nationalised?
DeleteSimon.