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Jools Holland reveals 100ft long model railway in his attic that he spent 10 years building

London in miniature: Jools Holland likes to sit down with a glass of wine and watch the trains go by
London in miniature: Jools Holland likes to sit down with a glass of wine and watch the trains go by

Many musicians turn to unusual means to unwind and get away from the stressful world of late nights and screaming fans. Jools Holland has a rather unique way of relaxing — building his 100ft model railway in the attic of his house.

Up a winding staircase in the star's Kent mansion lies a room which transports him back to his childhood, full of miniature buildings and painstakingly-painted trains.

It took the pianist 10 years to build his train set, whose landscape stretches all the way from Berlin and across the English Channel to London.

He told Railway Modeller magazine that he turns to the model trains to escape from the hustle and bustle of his life, explaining: “there isn’t a very good phone signal in here.”

He said he likes "sitting in a small chair and watching the trains go by" as a means to relax.

The fascinating train set also provides much amusement for his family and friends, and is a great source of joy for Mr Holland.

Jools Holland on the front page of Railway Modeller - Credit: Railway Modeller
Jools Holland on the front page of Railway Modeller Credit: Railway Modeller

Although he has been fascinated with trains from his youth, he moved from having a "modest train set in the corner of a small room in a small house," as a young boy, to achieving this feat of miniature engineering today. 

In the evenings, he builds some trains and buildings before switching on some music, pouring a glass of wine and switching on the trains to watch them move around the room.

Mr Holland began building the model railway as a reflection of the Greenwich of his youth, and based his first buildings and trains on photographs and paintings of 1960s London. He added: “To my mind a model of a real place creates a personal take on history. Photographs can provide the stimulus but cannot evoke that special atmosphere in a way that models can.”

Those familiar with the musician's BBC show will recognise the house in Greenwich, from which he springs in the title sequence on the way to the broadcaster's headquarters.

He made a tiny Underground station
He made a tiny Underground station

The London lost to history can be seen in miniature in Mr Holland's attic sanctuary, with old landmarks and vintage adverts reproduced, and none of the modern skyscrapers of today's skyline to be seen.

Other buildings in his model include the Euston Arch, the Channel Tunnel, the Greenwich Observatory and a 1960s KGB headquarters in Berlin — the trains take him on a tour of history, with the cityscape going backwards and forwards in time depending on which way the railway is going.

Mr Holland explained: "The layout begins with 25' of Europe culminating in the Ghentwerp Container Port. Beyond a compressed English Channel/River Thames we reach a tatty post-war London with its docks, pubs and bomb sites. Each 10' or so the scenes move chronologically along through the decades from the 1950s to the present. This gave me the great excuse to enjoy creating architectural capriccios, a working Motorway network, underground rail connections and much more."

Euston Station features
The Euston arch, now demolished in real life, lives on in Mr Holland's model

Canal boats can be also seen floating in water at a miniature version of the London Docklands, and  he has built a perfect, miniature version of a Piccadilly Line Underground station. He has also faithfully recreated bombed-out buildings which were victims of the Blitz.

His work is not yet finished — next, he hopes to build St Pancras station, and recreate some landmarks from northern England.

Mr Holland is not the only music legend to appear in Railway Modeller - Rod Stewart also has an impressive train set, featuring the Manhattan skyline.

Railway Modeller magazine, which contains the full interview, is in shops on Thursday 13th December.