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For sale: Des res with its own railway network
BUILDING a model railway in the back garden was never going to be an easy ride for perfectionist John Allen.
His labour of love has taken the best part of 10 years thanks to an obsessive attention to detail that some film set designers would be hard pressed to match - including sieving hundreds of tiny ballast pebbles to ensure their scale size.
Mr Allen, who describes himself as "65 going on nine", is the proud controller of the Squirrel's Bottom Light Railway, a beautifully-crafted 200ft long track (G-scale for those in the know) which meanders its way around his wife's well-tended garden.
When he assembles all the miniature equipment, a job of several hours duration, the set up includes two stations, 'Fieldmouse junction', a loco depot, goods shed, two signal boxes, bridges, bystanders, and 10 finely-detailed electric powered locomotives, each belching out artificial smoke and with realistic sounding brake squeals and chugging noises.
The fine-tuning of his creation does not end there, however. Each loco features a little brass plaque with the names of his four grandchildren, Billy, Thomas, Joseph and Martha, who is only five month's old.
Adding to the authenticity are various signs dotted around the garden including a warning to 'Beware of the Trains'.
Mr Allen says: "I have been a railway enthusiast since I was a small boy when my godfather had an O gauge railway in his garden in Darlington which I visited every Whitsuntide.
"I started with a Hornby 00 when I was 11. Later, I gave up the 00 and concentrated on the larger stuff. I had a several years winning trophies for smaller scale railways.
"I've had a lot of enjoyment from creating the railway over the years.
I have a large room over the garage that I use as my workshop and I've spent many hours both there and in the garden."
Though he regrets never actually having worked on the railways, he did run a bookshop called the Transport Scene in Wakefield for 12 years and later worked for a parcels firm operated by British Rail which got him closer to his first love.
Mr Allen is now contemplating his next move, as he and his wife Wendy, a semi-retired teacher, have put their house in Sandal, Wakefield, up for sale with Manning Stainton.
He is prepared to sell the track for an undisclosed amount to any potential house buyer, but would be equally happy to take it with him and re-build it.
"It will only take a weekend to lift it up and pack it. Or I can rebuild another one. I will settle for a house with the same size garden as this one."
Whatever happens regarding the house, the Allens will host a Strawberry and Steam day in the garden on July 11 when Mr Allen can show off his trains, whilst raising funds for the local Chapelthorpe Church (entry is 4).
Mr Allen is looking forward to the open day, which is popular with railway enthusiasts and children.
"I think you have to be a bit of a showman to do this and have eccentric tendencies - people do think I am totally mad.
"Railways have been my complete life; it's a fascination that you can create your own take on the world. I often refer to my garden as the little world of Squirrel's Bottom where the sun always shines and politics does not exist.
"The secret of a good retirement is having a garden railway. You can isolate yourself from what goes on. You can shut the big gates and get the railway running."
The long-suffering Mrs Allen says she has "got used to" her husband's railway hobby during 44 years of married life.
"I didn't know about his interest in railways when we were going out with each other. It was a secret that came out when we got married!"
Information on the open day: email: wendyallen@talktalk.net
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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