Real-time Nativity Progress

That was an act of genius of Young Keith's, hacking his uncle the Policeman's old train set into a "Real-time Nativity Set". I just wish he'd thought of it before Christmas, so we could have had an express arrival of shepherds and the shining host. Still, there's always next year.

The Magi have just made their call at Jerusalem Central, encountered Herod and are now heading up the branch line to Bethlehem Halt. Their stop at Bethlehem is scheduled for Sunday - and all at a speed of four feet per day! It's a masterpiece of low voltages and accurate gearing. The Star is on the front of the loco, so they're gonna follow it wherever it goes.

Meanwhile the shepherds are backing very slowly away from Bethlehem and back up into the hills. While the people of Zebulun and Naphthali are still going round in circles in their tunnel. It's got theology, scripture and fully-automatic points. Which is why Burton Dasset won't leave the Moot House now for hours on end.

Keith does have me worried, though. If he continues with his intention to map out the whole of the Gospel story in a train set, we're going to be tripping over Bible Characters sat on Flying Scotsmen, 125s and Gordon the Big Engine for months to come. I'm going to have to think through the Health and Safety implications of all this.