|
Until the age of 21 I had lived in the seaside town of Paignton, where the railway station was in the centre of what was then a small town. I
remember the footbridge next to the level crossing and my delight at finding that the level crossing gates were closed. This meant that I could run up the steps and stand at the top as great smoking monsters huffed and puffed passing underneath at the start of their journey to
distant places, or clanking to a halt having brought their carriages full of eager holiday makers to the town. Then it was down the other side to have my face wiped with the damp flannel Mother always had handy. She always seemed to be cross about the state of my clothes, but a child doesn't think of such things!
It was my cousin Richard who was an avid train spotter who introduced me to steam trains, the love of which has never left me. One day we visited what looking back I realise was a Model Railway Exhibition. I was speechless. "I want one of those" I told my long suffering parents. The years passed and toys were put away, but I made that promise to myself that one day I would have a proper model railway, with scenery and buildings. Many years later I decided to build an extension onto my bungalow to become the train room and since then I've never looked back.
|
|
