The Little World

Well, I can’t be Peeping Tom or Peeping Harry. But I got my share of looking into other people’s lives at the Model Railway Exhibition.

It was courtesy of the Haltwhistle boys – a group of modellers who set up a British-outline OO-guage layout. It was a looping layout with a front and two sides to present a village scene to the viewers and an operational yard area at the back to assemble the trains and drink tea in. There were probably sandwiches and soldering irons back there but I did not intrude…

The village presented is apparently in the Yorkshire dales. Possibly the inhabitants all speak in funny accents, but the exhibition was noisy enough that i could not make them out. What I did take note of was the domestic detail incorporated in this Little World. It is delightful enough that even if Lord Beeching had succeeded in stopping the trains, it would still be worthwhile exploring.

I found myself waiting patiently for the occasional passage of a train to contrast it with the gentle life of the inhabitants. Of course, we’ve all learned over the years that the English countryside is anything but gentle. I’ve watched the Agatha Christie mysteries and The Midsomer murders and I realise that you are in deadly danger there as soon as you get out of bed in the morning. It would appear that someone was incautious…

It’s not all blood and bludgeoning, however – there are some happier moments.

And there is the daily grind. Washing, shopping, garbage disposal…

And there is always the gardening – to supplement the meagre diet of rationed dripping and porridge…

But you do have to admire the locals for keeping their cattle in good condition – and for keeping the bus waiting.

So we bid a fond farewell to Haltwhistle – Flower Of T’ North. And I really do tip my Little World hat to the makers – this layout has apparently being going since 1981. That it can present so well, and operate so smoothly speaks volumes ( in a funny accent ) for the builders.