A Gentle World

Tim and I were chatting one evening about the design of his new model railway, based on the Union Pacific Railroad. A fabulous winter project, and he is excited. We had a look online and discovered that an American model railway group was holding a meetup over three days in Derby, Tim’s hometown, and last Saturday afternoon, it was open to the public.

As soon as we arrived, we stepped into a gentle world. We were greeted at the door and asked how much the entry tickets cost. Here’s how it went,

‘Are you members?’

‘No, we’re not.’

‘Ahh, then you’re a long-suffering spouse, so you can come in for free.’ This was directed to me, and Tim and I started to chuckle.

‘I call myself supportive.’ I replied.

We stood inside and looked down on the main area, which was filled with a layout on which model engines were running. We spotted John inside, Tim’s best man from our wedding, and we all hugged. Tim met John at the model railway group in Derby when he was fourteen, and these two men have been friends ever since. On our wedding day, John and I organised a surprise for Tim, and when the best man's speech started, we both stood up. John and I had written a speech together, where we took turns to share memories, as we stood side by side with our arms linked. One of my memories was a lunch at our home, and how John and Tim never ran out of things to say to each other. My heart memory was of these two chatting on the driveway, and still going as John got in the car to return home. It was a joy to see.

We pottered around together, looking at the main layout and the stalls dotted around the walls. In the side rooms, there were other layouts and railway items for sale.

Everyone was friendly, and the atmosphere was peaceful. The hum of a shared passion, and everyone was interested and supportive in what others had built and in their plans. Dreams for the future.

Each part of the layouts had been built by a member, and then in groups they came together to connect each layout to make a whole. There were several huge layouts like this, and chatting to the members, they met regularly to help each other out, offer support, and natter. Most of them have known each other for years.

I met a little girl called Rowan, who is six years old, and we chatted about how she had been named after a tree. There was a Rowan tree at the front of her home, where she was born. She shared that they have moved now, and I asked about trees, and she matter-of-factly told me that there weren’t any, as they lived next to a main road now. Rowan had two controllers in her hand, and she was running a model locomotive with many wagons expertly. There was a white haired gentleman, hovering nearby with a smile on his face, and Rowan introduced her Grandpa. Then she paused, looked up and said,

‘I have been doing this with Grandpa since I was very little.’

Whenever I saw her later in the afternoon, we grinned and waved.

One of the members commented that he is rubbish at adding the electrics to the layouts, so other members had to help him. On his part of the layout, there was a wonderful model bridge, with a river running underneath. The water, scrub and reeds looked real. I asked who had modelled them, and he beamed and replied,

‘I did.’

All afternoon, we met and chatted with these gentle souls and had the best time. It was like being in another world, and that felt like a gift.

In the conference centre, there is a bar with many tables and booths. Being typically British, we were queuing politely when a German couple walked up to the bar at the front of the queue. A member kindly suggested there was a queue, and the couple explained that they had read a guidebook on British customs. It said that the British are happy to queue for everything, but you can go right up to a bar and get served without queuing. We all laughed and chatted whilst they joined the end of the queue.

Many tables, with heads bent together, everyone engrossed in conversation.

Enthusiasts watching the model engines roll around the layouts, past model houses, railway platforms, goods yard, coal depots, tiny little cars, trucks and lorries, bridges, hills, shrubs and trees, and people. The detail was exquisite, and one gentleman was making a video. He paused and grabbed my hand, and I heard a Canadian accent as he shared his excitement. He beamed as he bounced from one foot to the other.

Chairs were dotted around the edges of the hall, so friends and strangers could sit, pause and chat. We met some lovely people.

We reluctantly left this gentle world, hugged John again, and, halfway home, stopped at a restaurant for dinner, so the gentleness could roll for a little while more.🚂