Ewan’s on the right track to becoming a reality TV star
Model rail enthusiast taking part in new show
A Perth man is set to become a reality TV star – as he is to feature in a new programme on model railways.
Ewan Forsyth (23) will be competing in The Great Model Railway Challenge on Channel 5.
From what began as a simple train set given to him as a child for Christmas, model railways have grown into a passion for Ewan, who will be competing in the Aberdeen team.
The former Perth High pupil explained: “I fully got into it from a train set that my parents got me for Christmas one year.
“I was about five years old and I got a standard set on the dining room table with single loops going around, and it entertained me for hours.
“That became a hobby I did with my dad, and it just built up from there.
“Going to the Perth show, organised by Perth Model Railway Club, was a big influence because the models all looked so realistic.
“When I was still at Oakbank Primary School, my dad made contact with the club and we went along, and that sparked my interest in modelling and trying to make the scenes look as realistic as possible, and moving towards a model railway rather than just a train set.”
Ewan moved to the University of Aberdeen to study for a PhD in chemistry, and decided to join the local club there to help him de-stress from exams.
He is now pleased to see more and more television shows reflecting the population’s love of trains and railways and says taking part in the show was a brilliant experience
He said: “There are a lot of railway programmes on right now, so it is exciting to be a part of bringing model railways to television.
“This is something I have been doing for many years, and I want to show the world what this hobby is about.”
Although each team is tasked with such a challenge in a short space of time, they are allowed to bring in one piece of ‘free build’ that is pre-made.
Ewan and his team have gone for a replica of the South Breakwater lighthouse on Aberdeen Harbour.
He is also keen to break the stereotype that many people have about people involved in model railways.
He continued: “The hobby maybe has a reputation for being older men in sheds, but hopefully this will show that the community is a lot more diverse than that.
“Everyone in model railways is eccentric in their own way.
“Hopefully people will start to consider this as a hobby for themselves and get in contact with their local club.
“It will hopefully also get the younger generation involved, starting from a train set from Santa like I did.
“Your imagination can run wild and you can build the world you want to see.
“I definitely didn’t consider I would be on television until all the filming had stopped, and it has now hit me that I am going to be in a reality television show!”
Ewan’s team will be competing in heat five, which will be shown on screens in November.
The Great Model Railway Challenge starts tonight at 8pm on Channel 5.
Ewan Forsyth on the Forth Rail Bridge