Have you got a secret model railway enthusiast in your midst?
Remember the R Whites Lemonade Advert from the 1980s?
I do.
Us model railway engineers are a lot like the guy in the advert, played by Julian Chagrin.
As model trains aren’t the most fashionable of pastimes, some of us hide our Hornby trains away, and like the Lemonade drinker, have to creep out to get our fix.
As such, you might never know if your significant other is a secret train hobbyist.
To help, I’ve consulted top psychologists and compiled this guide of the seven signs that might reveal if your other half is a secret railway modeller.
7 signs that will reveal if your other half is a secret railway modeller Click To Tweet1. Parcels disappear before you see them
Especially the oblong-shaped ones. It’s not another model train. Honest…
2. Requests to tidy the loft are jumped at
And we then disappear for hours…
If you haven’t been up in the loft recently don’t assume it’s just a dumping ground of old suitcases and clothes that should really be in the local charity shop. My wife thought that until she ventured into the attic one day and discovered a model railway had mysteriously appeared along the back wall.
3. Trips to friends and family are made by train
Ever heard, “Wouldn’t it be nice to go by train”…
No? You will.
4. The toolbox doesn’t have anything in it to repair the car
The toolbox has nothing in it large enough for household chores. Nope, instead of spanners and hammers that are useful for changing a tyre or repairing a leak, it’s overflowing with watchmaker’s screwdrivers, micro files, and pliers small enough to split an atom.
5. The top half of the Netflix recommended list is…
We can’t sleep and get up, you hear the TV go on and the sound turned down.
The next day the Netflix / Prime recommended list is full of Great British Railway Journeys, Impossible Railways and the Biggest Little Railway In the World.
And it’s like that every day! Always!
6. Cryptic diagrams of ovals and lines found under the bed
Ah, the unmistakable evidence of late-night track planning.
And if you find strange lists of numbers starting with R. take the credit card away now 🙂 Lists of Hornby part numbers are a sure sign of a secret modeller.
7. Kitchen utensils, bottles and hairsprays varnish
The food containers from Chinese takeaways, glass bottles, cocktail sticks, coffee stirrers and hairspray bottles mysteriously vanish. Tea strainers disappear – they make great static grass applicators. If items from your kitchen or bathroom aren’t where you left them, you’ve got secret model railway enthusiasts in your midst.
If you spot any of these signs, your other half needs urgent help. Send them to ModelRailwayEngineer.com, I’m here to help although sadly I can’t help with their singing 😉
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Andy is a lifelong modeler, writer, and founder of modelrailwayengineer.com. He has been building model railways, dioramas, and miniatures for over 20 years. His passion for model making and railways began when he was a child, building his first layout at the age of seven.
Andy’s particular passion is making scenery and structures in 4mm scale, which he sells commercially. He is particularly interested in modelling the railways of South West England during the late Victorian/early Edwardian era, although he also enjoys making sci-fi and fantasy figures and dioramas. His website has won several awards, and he is a member of MERG (Model Railway Electronics Group) and the 009 Society.
When not making models, Andy lives in Surrey with his wife and teenage son. Other interests include history, science fiction, photography, and programming. Read more about Andy.
You know you need a modelling break when:-
1 – You jerk awake at a news article on TV about ‘sleeper’ cells
2 – You are trying to ignore a friend extolling the virtues of a new CD and when asked for your favourite track you reply ‘the Bluebell Line’
3 – You want to name your new cat Kato.
4 – Your hand automatically picks up Signal toothpaste
5 – Your family think that Graham Farrish is a mate at work
6 – Admit it, you thought the recent TV production on Britannia was about a steam train.
7 – You use loco numbers to create lottery tickets and passwords
8 – You think 007 is a new gauge
9 – You tell people that DCC is the new District Cleaning Company.
10 – The microwave goes ‘ding’ and you say ‘fares please’ (for the replacement bus service)