Hello,

The purpose of this blog is to document the progress of a complete beginner in modelling railway scenery. This post, however, is to detail how I got here.

Now that the first two episodes of the brand new series The Great Model Railway Challenge have aired on Channel 5, I can reveal that I was a participant in the TV show. I was asked to join a team that will be featured in episode 4. Despite having virtually no previous experience in railway modelling (apart from a very ambitious Christmas decoration - which I will post about later on) I was tasked by the team to model some scenery elements, provide the back-scene and make the team name plate. So a couple of books by Gordon Gravett were shoved in my hands and I was asked if I would 'learn to make trees'

I was very nervous both before and during the filming of the TV show, but in the end, I was proud of my contribution to the layout. A consequence of being involved in the making of the series has been that I have caught the railway modelling 'bug' and continue to this day to practise scenery modelling techniques. With the wealth of material available online, in books and opportunities to visit many local model railway exhibitions and shows, there is a great deal to inspire me and I have decided to follow not only Gordon G, but Kathy Millatt (one of the Judges on the TV show) and the amazing Martin Welberg to use as mentors in my new hobby.

It is Martin Welberg's approach to layering in scenery that inspires me the most and to start with I have been creating a couple of small dioramas to practise new techniques, trees are still proving a challenge though and so I welcome any and all advice.

Thanks for reading