Introduction

 

“The world is in a rush, and is getting close to its end.”

 

A sentiment many of us might appreciate.  Trouble is, when the former Archbishop of York Wulfstan put it in a Sermon it was over a thousand years ago, in 1014.  I can only wonder what Wulfstan would make of life in our always-on, 24/7 world.  Just think about how we can shop: credit cards, same day deliveries, flash sales, eBay or Facebook marketplace.  Life is lived at a pace, and aspects of railway modelling are inevitably affected too. 

 

 

My budget means I fish in the warm waters of the second-hand / pre-owned marketplace, a place of incredible choice and often great value, but not one that encourages me to take my time.  The best items just don't stick around.  They can be sold within hours (sometimes minutes) of appearing on sale.  In the same way, when I start to wobble on a project, I can pack up and sell everything I've collected in just a few days too.  It goes as quickly as it comes.  And then more comes in again.

 

The market for new items can move just as fast - in BRM I read of products selling out before reviews get published.  Yes, pre-ordering can mean a wait, but batches may be small - if you don't sign up quickly you won't get one (or it won't happen).  This is by no means a complaint or a criticism - it is simply the flip side of the incredible range of quality models now available.

 

But I need to slow down.  How can I take my time when time is not on my side?  A response from @AndyB to my last blog post (here) made me think:  "For as long as I can remember I've always spent a long time mulling over purchases."

 

As a lad, I remember pouring over catalogues for months on end, delighting in the bright, colour photos of pristine (always) locomotives and rolling stock, dreaming of which one(s) I most wanted.  Lo betide any change of mind in the final few weeks before a birthday or Christmas, when it was obviously - or not obviously - too late for a rethink, because somewhere hidden in the house was a much longed for item, already bought and waiting for the big day.  With money tight and options limited, we were not only learning patience, but also how to value things.  It should have prepared us for adulthood, but even our hobby, our relaxation of choice, now sometimes moves at a rate Wulfstan could simply never have envisaged. 

 

Buying can be exciting, unwrapping the latest purchase always a thrill, but to be a modeller and not just a collector requires me to slow down.  I've often commented on the importance of patience when building a model - my first Scratchbuild took three months -  but since then I've been moving rapidly from one idea to the next, trying to keep up with the marketplace, and trying to get ahead of regular changes in family life.  It's time to relearn the lesson from Wulfstan.

 

Narrow Gauge Railway Modelling:

 

I enjoy narrow gauge railway modelling as much as standard gauge - I belong to the 009 Society and I enjoy the monthly gatherings of our local group.  The advent of r-t-r 009 locomotives and other models from Bachmann, Peco / Kato and Heljan over the past couple of years has been almost as much of a surprise to some as the launch of TT:120.  Here on RMweb, the Narrow Gauge Forum may be a well kept secret - it is listed below Site Information and Notices, after all - but there's just as much wisdom, expertise and fun to be had in Narrow Gauge modelling as anywhere else.  I took it up to make it easier carting things up and down to our attic room, and still enjoy watching trains run on the mini-layout I built.  This will only take a minute:

 

 

I initially wanted to model in American HOn30 rather than European H0e, but the availability of plenty of second hand good quality H0e provided me with a great way to get started.  I've also been encouraged to try some more scratchbuilding.  This trial piece:

 

 

led to this finished model:

 

 

And there's room for the inventive and quirky too.  This:

 

 

became this:

 

 

and after a bit more weathering ended up as this:

 

 

I don't think Narrow Gauge modelling will completely replace my other interests or dreams, but as an antidote to too much shopping, I find a freedom to experiment that's ideal for someone with my limited practical skills, to set a standard I'm happy with for myself, and to surprise myself with what I can actually turn out:

 

(a whitemetal Woodland Scenics Flagstop kit)

 

I'm not sure what my next Narrow Gauge Project will be - a plan I had to expand my mini-layout with a Mk. II has been paused as we're probably moving house soon to a more suitable property for us (but one which will be tighter on space).  But I don't have to be in a rush to decide!

 

One thing I'd be sure of though, if Wulfstan did come back to ride on trains, I think he'd quite like Narrow Gauge railways:

 

WIth Christmas just around the corner, I don't expect to post another blog entry until 2024.  Thank you for reading my random ramblings - please feel free to comment if you'd like - and may I wish you peace for Christmas this year, Keith.