| Railway dreams |
 Dan and I went to Thirlmere for the annual Steam Festival. You could view everything from HO gauge engines, to the full size real deal, and, for the fun of it, ride one of the old trains. Old number 2705 was polished and looking as good as it must have 80 years ago. Every carriage was full of passengers eagerly awaiting a trip down memory lane - even if it was their grandparents' memory, and not theirs.
We paid our $2 admission fee to see the layouts set up by the many model train clubs in the area. Dan explained all of the technical specifications to me - how far apart the rails were for each gauge, how tight the curves in the track could be before the trains wouldn't be able to manoeuvre them, and told me the years of operation for certain engines. Needless to say, I can't remember anything he told me, but I can tell you that the Flying Scotsman is green and one of my favourite model steam engines.
Dan loves the details - I love the aesthetics. Seeing these old trains and models feeds my need for nostalgia, and apparently, there are quite a few people who feel the same way, as Thirlmere was crowded with people from all walks of life. Toddlers and great grandparents stood in queues to ride trains or to view layouts that inspired both fantasy and envy.
 The only bad thing I have to say about the festival, besides the heat, is that now I want a garden railway (G gauge - at least I remembered that bit.) I even know where I want it, and I know that I want a model of the Orient Express. To continue the creation of my fantasy life, I need a fantasy railway that I can ride (at least, in my imagination) to far off places in style.
I wouldn't have it any other way. If you're going to dream - dream big. Or at least, in my case, in G gauge.
Click on images to enlarge. |
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Name: Melanie O.
Home: Durham, North Carolina, United States
About Me: Female, American health and beauty-conscious professional who has rekindled a childhood love of dolls.
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posted by Melanie O. at 
