Throughout my life there have been times when I have opened my mouth and put my foot in it. One such occasion was a short  time ago when rambling on with my son (Jason) about how G Sccale Mad was settling down into a really successful forum of ideas etc. His idea of starting something new has become far bigger than we ever expected.

I thought it was nice when we had been able to meet the faces behind the names on different occasions and thought we should have try to organise some kind of get together although I realised that our forum members were spread far and wide. So my idea rumbled onto a North and South open day. Jason thought it was a good idea and promptly signed me up for the Southern edition before I had a chance to think. His mum was volunteered to provide the catering.

It was at this point when I looked at my railway and the crumbling buildings with their paint peeling off the general state of the garden and thought what have I let myself in for.

All those little repair jobs waiting in the signal box (shed) would have to be done that model water tower finished (yes I know it was supposed to be a water mill) and the track ballasting checked over after the cats and birds have managed to move it and lose it. If someone has the answer to the question where does the ballast go?  Please let me know. The checkout girl at Wickes is convinced I am starting my own Quarry as I keep wheeling out bags of pea shingle.

It is a time like this that I regretted buying all those little unpainted figures for value. Thinking that anyone can slap a coat of paint on and charge £7 or more. Luckily our branch of the 99p store was selling six little pots of paint for 99p much better value than the £1 shop just down the road. So slowly the window cleaner, the mother putting her washing out, the lifeboat men and the ladies in swimsuits have taken on their characters.

The worst of the buildings were touched up and their brick colour changed from the rather gaudy colour I had originally painted them into a much more gentle Cotswold look. The remaining buildings will follow. The new hotel and my own scratch built garage proudly took their place in the centre.

Last year a little plant called “mind you own business” over run the railway. It is a gem of the plant that covers the ground and track really fast and well. You just run the track cleaner over it to clear the track. However this year it has sadly given up the ghost with the drought conditions and I have had a few problems at Garden Centres trying to find replacements. The conversation usually goes something like this “Are you looking for something sir?”  “Yes Mind your own Business” at this point the assistant walks away.

All this meant that the area for the farm was bare so I resorted to one of the scenic sheets of grass that are designed for indoor landscaping of railways and stuck it onto a board. Hey presto a farm scene all be it a little crowded and also something for the grandchildren to play with. It will do until we get some rain! Although it has to be taken in when the railway is not in use.

Somehow with the day approaching, the furious track cleaning and leaf gathering and constant checks on the weather forecast (It is amazing that as the open day approaches that the forecasters start predicting a change in the weather with heavy showers coming this way) that slowly it all seems to come together on the day.

 As you sink into the armchair with relief the doorbell rings and your visitors arrive and the day is off. After all the doubts and worries those visitors soon turn into friends and when you see their stock running round your railway you realise that it was not such a bad idea after all.

 It was great to meet a second set of Gscale madders at the North Open day at Thurnby a few weeks later. Which also highlights how we all take a different approach to garden railways mine on the ground hidden by shrubs etc and Trevor’s at waist height. Mine running short European trains Trevor running the Big American Beasts with long trains. It is this diversity that makes visiting other railways exciting and you always come away with a fresh idea for your own railway and with a few more friends.

Rambling Roger

Ps look out for the DVD of the open days.