Twitter-Steam Rally

2020 started for us, like many, looking forward to the season ahead, wondering if our engine might make an appearance this year and generally anticipating seeing friends and engines old and new. Within weeks, the country was aware of a new situation unfolding and meetings at work suggested a new world order was approaching. At the start of March, questions began as to the viability of spring indoor events such as model railway shows and we knew things were getting serious when the large exhibition at Alexandra Palace in March was cancelled.

In the world of social media, things move fast, and within hours of the announcement, the concept of a virtual model railway show was born. Mainly to be held on Twitter, using the hashtag #TwitterModelTrainShow, the idea was for people to share film and photos of their models and railways across the internet for the whole weekend. That weekend was fantastic to see the variety and content displayed and also the international take up. By that time I was working from home – and the team made the decision that my museum’s annual Festival of Steam in May was cancelled. My younger daughter, 14 year-old Charlotte, was due to take part in a NTET driving course the same weekend – an event also cancelled. As the #TwitterModelTrainShow finished, she asked me when