The Railway Diva

by Ollie Lee

Mariah Carey expects that her hotel suite be fitted with gold faucets. She will only bathe herself AND her dog in French mineral water, and there will be tears before bed time if her own bed sheets aren’t delivered and fitted pre her arrival.

Jennifer Lopez’s hotel suite must be painted and furnished completely in white; it must then be decorated with white lilies and white roses. She also requests white candles be placed, preferably with Paris perfume, ‘Diptyque.’ And finally the room temperature set at exactly 25.5 degrees Celsius, it seems you have to give ‘em hell to get your heaven.

In comparison the Railway Children’s shining star, Stirling Single, is reasonably low key. it simply requires its own railway track to reside on and a purpose build theatre. Oh and the Gentleman’s Saloon Carriage used in the original film.

Having been taken to the railway museum in York at about age 8, I vaguely remember a feeling of boredom and hunger while I was dragged around to see all the different train engines. So it came as a surprise to me just how excited I got when I first saw the Stirling Single resting quietly at the abandoned EuroStar platform. The 66 tonne Queen of the stage (or should that be platform) is just like any other diva, backstage the stress in tangible in the lead up to her show, but you know that none of that is going to matter, and there will only be whistles of excitement once she appears to her public.

Stats

Name: Sterling Single

Also known as; Great Northern Railway G Class Stirling 4-2-2

Born: 1870

Creator: Patrick Stiring

Past Work: Express Passenger Train – London to York

Inspired the character of Emily in Thomas and Friends

Star of The Railway Children