Modelling Lives

Tales from the model-making community.

Mark Bascombe recounts his return to modelling after some physical setbacks.

After a number of amputations, Mark Bascombe thought his modelling days were over. But when his wife bought him a ship kit he challenged himself to build it. A large layout soon followed…

Ihave always been into I model railways, ever since I was a small lad. Both of my uncles were into the hobby and so their love of trains rubbed off on me, not least as I used to travel by train a lot as a kid, especially to visit my grandparents. The last leg of that journey was always exciting, as it would be on a Class 504 EMU from Manchester Victoria to Bury.

It seems like every day of my childhood was spent getting the layout board out and running an old Tri-ang Class 37 for hours and hours. For each birthday and Christmas, it was always an easy choice of gift for me: trains, trains and more model trains!

Over the years, I built up a nice model railway collection, including everything from an LNER ‘A4’ 4-6-2 Mallard to Class 47 diesels. But then I decided to join the Army and, with that, my whole collection was sold. After serving six years in the Forces, I opted to continue living in Germany for two more years and built a small ‘HO’ scale layout at home. It was nothing big, just a little something to do in my free time.

When I then moved back to the UK, I decided once again to build a layout and that’s how it went for 20 years: making and selling and remaking. When I decided to move the family to Canada,

I sold my collection once again. Sadly, during my time over there, I suffered a serious case of frostbite and that’s how my current physical situation came about. Unfortunately, I have now lost both feet and all of my fingers, just leaving me with four half-stumps. I still wanted to continue with this hobby, but how would that be possible?

My wife bought me a semi-kit model ship for a

Christmas present… it was time to put it to the test. I mean, if I could build this kit then maybe – just maybe – a return to model railways could happen. After completing the ship kit, I said to my wife, “you know what, this may be possible after all!”

That is when my layout ‘East Port’ was born.

I had always wanted to build a port/harbourthemed layout and, having built a ship, I then started to plan the layout and to find ways of achieving my goal. Thankfully, I haven’t had another amputation for two years now – since I began building my layout, in fact.

I have had a massive amount of support from family and friends, as well as from viewers of my Youtube channel, some of whom have donated various bits and bobs. As I’m not working now, it means I have a limited budget, but I do have the time it takes to build something, so it all works out. I have always said if you want help, first help yourself.

Modelling has provided a great means of taking my mind off the last few years of surgical procedures and I’m looking forward to expanding ‘East Port’ in the future. Look out for it in the pages of Model Rail in future!

Modeller CV:

Mark Bascombe, 51, is a medically retired former serviceman. Search Youtube for Main Train Eastport