Dear Diary – Page 4 (Early 1950’s – First Model Railway)

Our caravan had an end bedroom with two beds in it, which was where Valerie and I slept.

There was a pull-down double bed in the living room, and then there was a small kitchen and a tiny toilet room. The living room had a very good heater which burned anthracite (like small granular coal) and kept us really snug and warm.

The end bedroom provided my Dad with an opportunity to build my first model railway as Christmas had provided an “O” gauge Hornby clockwork engine, and a few coaches, which ran right around the room on a shelf. My bed was underneath the station and signal box, while Valerie’s bed was underneath the tunnel and hill!

The  railway shelving is just beneath the bottom of the windows which makes me wonder how I would have played with it because they (windows) were quite high! Of course, at only 5 years old, the whole world was quite high! You can also see some Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs characters stuck on the walls high above the railway.

1950 Model Rwy 4mod

1950 Model Rwy 1mod

The above photograph shows that access into our bedroom involved negotiating a railway bridge!

Trains, model, real (and later digital), were to become an integral part of my life up to and including the present day. Trains were to become my friends in pre-teen and early teen years, and offered a sense of belonging and stability throughout my late teens!

11 thoughts on “Dear Diary – Page 4 (Early 1950’s – First Model Railway)”

  3. There is nothing better than a train set to keep a youngster entertained. I can understand your fascination as a child, through your growing years and, now as an adult. I can’t think of a better hobby that earned such a special place in your heart.

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  5. I’d always wanted a train set as a kid.
    When we were viewing houses last year, we came across one that came with its own model railway. It was assembled in a mobile home in the back garden and had everything, signal boxes, bridges, farm animals, traffic, the works. Shame the house was falling apart and the back garden was under water. The train set was probably worth more than the building!

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  6. My grandfather’s basement was a whole train village! He made most of the houses and all the trimmings for a town. Gosh I wish I had photos! At age 5, I could walk erect under the chest high tables that would open to different areas. You’d poke your head up into a different scene in each hole.
    Thanks for the memories!

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