Female Railway Modellers

The December edition of the Railway Modeller has gladdened my heart.  In it, a lady called Alison Barker describes her model railway, originally built by Jo Palmer, who turns out to be another lady.  Alison has been busily adding her own touches to the model. She writes: "I could see the potential for adding splashes of colour," and contrived to have herself scanned and 3-D printed in 4mm scale, wearing a bright blue and white 1950's dress.

What amazing talent! My own modelling skills are modest indeed when compared with Alison's or Jo's but reading her article has emboldened me to come clean — our model railway, photos of which I occasionally show to friends, is primarily mine.

There's no doubt about it, though; railway modelling is predominantly a male pursuit. Enter any well-stocked model shop, or approach a popular trade stand at a model railway exhibition, and you'll encounter a clutch of blokes eagerly viewing the latest offerings from Bachmann, Hornby or Peco, discussing the intricacies of Digital Command Control or seeking out model axle boxes for some carriage that hasn't run on a real railway for a century or more. The ladies can usually be found serving tea. I jest not.

My brother loved his Scalextric, but racing cars excite me very little. Rather, it's model railways that have held my fascination since I was a teenager, though I lacked both the time and the inclination to do much about it until I retired in 2012. However, that didn't stop me taking an interest in real railways, especially Cornish ones that had all but disappeared by the time I got married and started raising a family.

The model railway that now fills the 'spare' bedroom in our home has been inspired by the lines to Padstow and Bude, both of which closed in the 1960s. A long time ago Padstow was known as Petrocstow, so my station in the Land of the Saints is named St Petrock.

I like to think that everything running into my little station might have appeared on those Cornish branch lines around 1960, though experts would doubtless spot several mistakes, including a couple of rather pretty (and also rather expensive) coaches that, I'm told, never came further west than Devon.  But I am the Queen of St Petrock and if I want 'em, I 'av 'em!

The aspect of railway modelling that thrills me most is the scenery – creating hills, rivers and buildings.  Here are a few photos...

This is St Petrock Station. Only one gent (beneath the canopy) waiting for the train today. Crumbs, if it stays this quiet then some Beeching-type character may close it!

Giles & Powell were coal merchants in my home town of Newquay. Quite what they're doing here in St Petrock is a mystery, though business seems to be thriving.

St Petrock gasworks is a typical 'small town' design and nothing like the huge one in Bude. If Padstow had one, I've no idea what it looked like.

The bridge over Tredinnick Creek, under construction.  Mostly paper, polystyrene, bits of plastic, two Dapol (ex-Airfix) bridge kits and quite a lot of glue...

... and here almost complete. It was inspired by the bridge over Little Petherick Creek, on what was the Padstow branch line and is now a popular cycle track.

Finally, another model that's based on a real location – Dunmere Halt, near Bodmin. I call it Bourdon Halt as the point here is worked with an old bourdon organ stop, rescued from a Cornish church.