Louth may not have its own railway line anymore, but that won't stop trains running all around the town – and world – this January. Robin Jones explains all ...
ON OCTOBER 10, 1970, the very last passenger trains called at Louth station, the principal stop on the main line between Grimsby and Boston.
Afterwards, the route closed forever, a victim of the Beeching axe, which decreed that it duplicated other routes from Grimsby to London through areas with a far higher population.
Yet, this January, trains will be running around Louth again. All day, and all over the world.
International buyers, possibly from as far away as Australia and New Zealand, will also be snapping up properties in Louth at bargain prices.
So what is going on?
The answer lies in the latest catalogue from market-leading model railway manufacturer Hornby.
Apart from making a dazzling array of engines, carriages and trucks, the company also produces an extensive range of scenic buildings to add to train enthusiasts' layouts.
The company's Skaledale range features, as the name suggests, fine-scale buildings mainly based on real-life structures – not only stations, engine sheds and signalboxes, but domestic houses, inns, picture-postcard cottages, churches, shops and garages.
The range now has almost 30 little buildings, which all have one factor in common – they are based on Louth.
The latest three additions to the collection include a pair of terrace shops in the town's Eastgate.
Unusually for Hornby, which normally changes the identity of the premises it produces as models, the delightful little florist's shop, Vamplew & Wilson, keeps its real name.
Next door in the full-size world stands Rhythm 'n' Booze off-licence. However, with a touch of artistic licence, it became the mythical village of Skaledale's Olde Antique Shop.
Less immediately obvious, is Mainwarings TV and radio shop, which is inspired by elements from traditional Louth frontages in the parade of shops including Perkin's Bakery, which stands opposite the Kings Head in the town centre.
But why pick on Louth?
The answer is that Hornby's marketing manager, Simon Kohler, who has been credited with the Margate-based firm's huge commercial success in recent years, grew up in the town. He spent his boyhood there, attending St Michael's CofE Primary and Monks' Dyke Secondary.
His family moved away when he was 14, but despite the passage of time, Simon never lost his affection for Louth.
He has returned to the town time and again for inspiration for new additions to the range, taking photographs and presenting them to Hornby's design team.
The resin buildings are then manufactured in China.
Simon explained: "Louth is very typical of any town you would find in the UK.
"However, I had my formative years there. The place still holds many fond memories, and I have always found it fascinating.
"I remember when its station used to be connected to London King's Cross. Skaledale has a station very similar to the one at Louth, as well as the northern and southern signalboxes.
"I visit once or twice a year, and further models of Louth properties may well appear in the range in future years."
Simon is also vice-president of the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway, a tourist steam line at Ludborough, which plans to extend its track southwards along the old trackbed to the outskirts of Louth.
Vamplew & Wilson is now owned by Bev Wright, who herself is Louth born and bred. The business continues to flourish as it clearly did in the days when the original Vamplew & Wilson ran it.
"I am really pleased that they decided to make a model of my shop, and I will go out and buy one myself," said Bev.
And it is not only railway enthusiasts who collect the little buildings. Because they are often produced to limited runs, and become deleted from the catalogue within a relatively short space of time, they are seen by many as highly attractive collectables.
If you want to take a step on the property ladder and invest in Louth, the florists, the TV shop and the old antique store can be yours for £19.99 each.
This feature appears in this month's Journal – priced £2.75 and available at many local retailers.
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