In Memory of UNK!
In February 2013 my dear Uncle Ian Alfred Jopson passed away aged 79. He and I shared three lifelong passions. Photography, caving and railways - model or real life, it didn't matter which.
As a child I remember he had a model railway in his cellar which fascinated me from the moment I saw it aged about 4. I would ask to go and see it but my mother discouraged me by saying they were boys toys and handing me a doll instead! However this response just fired my determination and from my first wage packet after leaving school I bought a 00 scale upper quadrant semaphore home signal!
When you are young life gets in the way. I grew up, got married and had children, you know the rest. When my children's children were approaching their teens and I had a little more time to myself, I revealed to Unk one day how much I had loved his model railway. Sadly he had dismantled it many years ago. However I hadn't realised he had taken my remark on board and unknown to me he began to rebuild it.
He said nothing for a year as I continued to visit and share camera and computer passions with him. One morning however, he phoned and asked if I would like to come over and bring my camcorder. He then showed me down into the cellar and I gasped in astonishment. The railway had not only been resurrected it had come alive before my very eyes! I was smitten.
Before long I was fully involved in the development of this layout. I bought my own trains and ran them on his tracks. He taught me how to lay the scenery and I built dioramas in various areas of the baseboards. I scratch built buildings and trees and learnt how to 'plant' them. I re-learnt the different classes of locos and he taught me how to run them.' I also found a place for my very first paycheck bought 00 scale semaphore home signal!
Sadly Unk became ill during 2012 and although he valiantly tried to keep up with his layout, more and more of it fell to me and I visited every day off from work that I had.
In February 2013 he died. Even though we knew it was imminent it was still a shock and left us feeling numb. However Unk left me with not only a rekindled interest in model railways but a great deal more knowledge on how to create one. His was a great gift which he gave freely and with love, and for which I shall always be grateful.
In honour of my dear brave Unk I created this page to show the photos of his layout Cragdale and Bleakfell, (he even let me name it,) and the rest of the website shows how I have put his lessons into practice and created other layouts since.
Dear Unk, this page is dedicated to your layout and the whole website is dedicated to your memory. Thank you so much for being my Uncle and may you Rest In Peace.
As a child I remember he had a model railway in his cellar which fascinated me from the moment I saw it aged about 4. I would ask to go and see it but my mother discouraged me by saying they were boys toys and handing me a doll instead! However this response just fired my determination and from my first wage packet after leaving school I bought a 00 scale upper quadrant semaphore home signal!
When you are young life gets in the way. I grew up, got married and had children, you know the rest. When my children's children were approaching their teens and I had a little more time to myself, I revealed to Unk one day how much I had loved his model railway. Sadly he had dismantled it many years ago. However I hadn't realised he had taken my remark on board and unknown to me he began to rebuild it.
He said nothing for a year as I continued to visit and share camera and computer passions with him. One morning however, he phoned and asked if I would like to come over and bring my camcorder. He then showed me down into the cellar and I gasped in astonishment. The railway had not only been resurrected it had come alive before my very eyes! I was smitten.
Before long I was fully involved in the development of this layout. I bought my own trains and ran them on his tracks. He taught me how to lay the scenery and I built dioramas in various areas of the baseboards. I scratch built buildings and trees and learnt how to 'plant' them. I re-learnt the different classes of locos and he taught me how to run them.' I also found a place for my very first paycheck bought 00 scale semaphore home signal!
Sadly Unk became ill during 2012 and although he valiantly tried to keep up with his layout, more and more of it fell to me and I visited every day off from work that I had.
In February 2013 he died. Even though we knew it was imminent it was still a shock and left us feeling numb. However Unk left me with not only a rekindled interest in model railways but a great deal more knowledge on how to create one. His was a great gift which he gave freely and with love, and for which I shall always be grateful.
In honour of my dear brave Unk I created this page to show the photos of his layout Cragdale and Bleakfell, (he even let me name it,) and the rest of the website shows how I have put his lessons into practice and created other layouts since.
Dear Unk, this page is dedicated to your layout and the whole website is dedicated to your memory. Thank you so much for being my Uncle and may you Rest In Peace.
Cragdale and Bleakfell Model Railway
Unk's cellar covered two and a bit rooms. His tunnels were awesome as they went through the walls from one room to another and it was an old stone house with thick walls. He took advantage of every available space.
Some of the buildings and scenes which I scratch built. These have been preserved and are waiting to be placed on the current layout I am working on.
Bespoke funerals with Rick O'Mortis and Dignity De'Ath Funeral Directors.
Preparing the church!
General views of the layout
Some more trains
The wood yard I built with Unk's name in the graffiti!
In 2011 We took Unk to Shetland for 3 weeks. He loved it and always wanted to go back. We stayed in Nesbister Bod right on the sea shore. We parked the van at the end of the road and closed the gate behind us as we began the quarter of a mile walk down the fields to the seashore and the Bod. Unk used to swing on this gate and it became a daily ritual for him. Using the many photos I took I was able to model the building and the scenario of Unk swinging on the gate!