Helen and Bill arrived late this morning in order to stay for lunch. Further overnight rain had flooded the Bransgore Road which involved a major diversion for them.
We engaged in much reminiscing and hilarity either side of Jackie’s usual excellent cold meats and salad lunch which sufficed for today’s nourishment. I drank more of the Fleurie and Helen and Jackie drank Wairu Cove Sauvignon Blanc 2019.
After lunch the two sisters set about valeting their Dad’s miniature railway.
First they applied a Dyson vacuum cleaner to the cabinet
and the rails.
They then propped up the cabinet
while they unwrapped and brushed down each tiny engine and carriage
before Helen replaced the models into their wooden case
in order to photograph them for e-mailing to an interested party.
Here are Jackie’s photographs of the completed work, with a large cafetière for scale. Later, Jackie rewrapped each individual item and reinstated the sliding glass panel.
What a fantastic collection! The girls appear to have done a great valeting job. 🙂
Thanks very much, Sue. Don had painted significant initials on some of the rolling stock.
That was a clever idea.
You are on the ball today Derrick! Siddy has just had first breakfast and I’m still on first coffee 🙂 Your Pa-in-law’s collection must be quite aged. I believe I have never seen such a well kept display. Good on the sisters for such excellent curating!
Thanks very much, Pauline. Just making sure you were up and about. 🙂
😀
First breakfast, lol.
🙂
He quite fancies himself a Hobbit 🙂
So, when does Siddy have second breakfast?
First breakfast while I have coffee, second breakfast after our morning walk……. followed by elevenses (which mostly happens about midday now), twoses, first dinner and second dinner. And still he often tries to con me into supper after our evening walk……
Hah! I now forgive my cat for trying to con me. Compared to Siddy, she is anorexic!
Siddy has trained me well. He is definitely rotund and determined to stay that way.
He knows which side his bread is buttered
What an interesting train you have there.
Thanks a lot Mrs W
Your welcome.
So impressive that Jackie and her sister so lovingly and carefully care for the train set.
I have my sons cars on repurposed duck board and I care for them. Who knows, maybe my grandson may appreciate it. 🌻
You never know, Kavitha. Thanks very much.
What a great job they did, Derrick. That’s a gorgeous miniature railway set. 🙂
Thanks very much, Sylvia.
My sons were once fascinated by trains and had built quite a collection.
Thanks very much, Rosaliene. I grew up backing onto a real railway 🙂
A wonderful display case of old trains 😊
x
Thank you very much, Melanie X
This makes me think of my son’s beautiful set of electric trains. Sadly, modern houses don’t have the space to set up the rails so they have been (l)anguishing in storage for the past thirty years!
That is probably the fate of many such sets, Anne. Thank you very much.
Such fine care–“valeting the railway.” That railway set in its case is quite impressive, and the French press coffee looks good, too. 🙂 I imagine the sisters had a great visit.
It was a good day, Merril. Thank you very much.
Oh, I’ve always loved miniature trains, that set is outstanding. I think the interested party will be quite pleased!!
Thank you v very much, GP.
Oh wow what a terrific collection
Thank you very much, More.
You’re very welcome
This wasn’t quite what I was expecting from the title, but it still looks a worthwhile day. 🙂
Looks like ye all had a lot of fun, how nice such a collection. And I like the display shelves, looks like a great template I could use to make shelves for my rock samples 🙂
The sisters did a wonderful job. I love that cabinet – what a perfect display!
Thanks very much, Jodie.
: )
Is that ‘n’ gauge?
No idea, Tootlepedal. 🙂 Thanks very much.
There’s that tootlepedal person again. 😊
What a lovely collection.
I have just completed boarding out my loft space and have got my model railway running again.
Kim is absolutely delighted.
🙂 Thanks very much, Andrew.
Is she really??!
NO!
That’s what we both thought 🙂
I wondered the same, Jackie.
Looks like the sisters accomplished their mission. The cabinet looks great! Is there anything Jackie can’t do? 🙂
Not a lot, Jill. Thanks very much.
So much work , but who am I to complain with my collection of dainty precious cat miniatures.
Thanks very much, Dolly 🙂
What a great collection. I do hope the interesting party pays top value.
Thanks very much, msw
Laborious job but wonderful collection 😉
Thank you very much, Ribana
They did a wonderful job of getting the rail set ready for photography. Sounds like all had a good lunch and pleasant afternoon. 🙂
I hope the set finds a loving home – as so many of my brother’s model cars did.
Thank you very much, Gwen
What a delightful collection, and beautifully displayed. There’s something about miniatures that appeals to so many; I wonder what it is? They’re cute, of course, and it’s amazing to see such perfect renderings of tiny details — but there’s something more. Such a nice day, and such a good result.
Very many thanks, Linda
I concur with the comments of your other readers! An impressive collection valet job by the sisters.
Thank you very much, Liz
Beautiful collection! Wow! Always loved trains! 🙂
HUGS!!! 🙂
Thanks very much, Carolyn X
That’s a wonderful collection, Derrick. If you know the exact name of the item, try searching for it on Ebay. That will give you some idea of the value of what you have, and you might find it surprising. I’ve just looked up my own “Mallard” which is £40 or so in green, but £500 in pale blue.
Thanks very much, John. Will pass it on to the ladies.
We had a lovely day attending to Dad’s trains and his hand made cabinet. Sparked off lots of reminiscences and laughs. Thanks for storing it under your spare bed and thanks for a lovely (3 course) lunch! We didn’t need any more to eat either before we went to be.
In answer to a couple of questions: I think it is N guage. They have lost a great deal of their value to collectors as they no longer have boxes and they have had the initials painted on. We are hoping they will be good as an interior design piece as they look good on the wall.
Sounds like a fun activity for a rainy day! Thanks for the pictures ~ the collection looks great!
Thank you very much, Sarah
What a collection! And so lovingly and painstakingly cleaned. Add the good food and the good company, and it sounds as though it was quite the afternoon.
It was good, Laurie. Thanks very much.
Cool! I love those little true to life representations of trains! We used to have a Fleishmann train track set up underneath our stairs when I grew up. Thanks for the flashback!
My pleasure, Anna. Thank you very much.
What a nice collection
Thank you very much, Lynn
Love this post!
Those little trains are so awesome! What a great collection!
Thanks very much, Lisa
My husband’s train set was given away to someone by his mother when Richard was away at university. My father gave my brother’s set to the boys next door when my brother was in police cadet college. Two aggrieved men.
Jackie and her sisters worked hard getting their father’s set looking bright and shiny for photographs.
How awful, Clare. So inconsiderate of parents. Thanks very much.
How wonderful they have this collection. A nice way to remember.
Thank you very much, Cheryl.
“Reminiscing and hilarity” sounds like a great time. The train collection reminds me I have my dad’s Christmas Village in the attic. Wish I had room to set it up. I hope our collections find a good home.
Thanks very much, JoAnna
I was sorry to hear of John’s illness. At least we can’t blame his visit to you for that, eh?
That’s lucky. He did seem a bit tired on his last day but we thought it was because of his punishing schedule. Thanks very much, Yvonne.