When I was 5-years-old, I received my first Hornby Dublo train set. It was Christmas Day 1949. I remember my parents sending me to bed early on Christmas Eve. It was full of magic and anticipation for the Big Day. Little did I know that downstairs my parents were busy assembling the track to check if everything worked. Thankfully, it did, which was only to be expected for a Hornby piece. I found out some years later that its cost was £9.10s.0d – equivalent to two and half weeks of my father’s salary.
I still have the original engine and coaches, as seen in the picture below, and I treasure them as much now as I did in 1949. Since that time, I’ve always had model trains but it has taken until now to fulfill a life-long ambition. I am now the proud owner of my very own permanent layout in a purpose-built building.
My Swiss metre gauge layout recreates the stunning views and panoramic landscapes of one of Switzerland’s regional railways: the Rhatische Bahn or RhB. This regional network is located in Graubunden, the largest of Switzerland’s cantons and connects towns such as Chur, St. Moritz, Klosters, Davos and the Engadin.
The most famous train that runs along its tracks is the Glacier Express which runs between St. Moritz and Zermatt. The iconic snow-bound journey takes 8 hours thankfully making it possibly the slowest express train in the world. The longer you are on the train, the more time you have to soak in the scenery and enjoy the delights of these beautiful modern trains.
As you can see from the photographs, which were taken by the talented Larry St.Croix, there are various combinations of trains I can run over the single track with the bridge being the outstanding feature. I can now sit in the comfort of my train room and spend a very pleasant hour any day of the week enjoying my life-long pastime. A lifelong passion!
I am indebted to my friend, Jerry Clifford from Warminster, who built all the scenery during the last year. His artistry and talent have made a model layout to be proud of. I’m always pleased for visitors to view the layout completely free of charge!
My thanks go to my parents for giving me such a wonderful Christmas present which set me on the tracks to a hobby that has lasted all these years.
Michael Rumsey