Pensioner shapes 7ft hedge into replica of famous Mallard train
A TRAIN-MAD pensioner has transformed his hedge into a 7ft-high replica of a famous locomotive.
Mr Childs found a hobby in turning his hedge into the legendary train
Brian Childs, 74, keeps a framed photo of the Mallard, the world’s fastest steam locomotive, in his kitchen.
One day he simply decided to reproduce it in a privet.
Brian, a former controller at the AA, said: “The shape of the hedge lends itself to a train. It’s a full-time job maintaining it. Luckily I’m retired, so it’s become a hobby for me.”
The hedge even features a plaque with the train's name on it
Wife Jo, 72, said: “We printed off a copy of the photo and he cut all the details into the hedge.
It’s a full-time job maintaining it. Luckily I’m retired
“It includes a step for people to stand on and also a plaque with the name on the side.
I think it’s a work of art.
“Children are fascinated by it.
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The actual Mallard was taken out of service in 1963
There is one young boy who steps into the gap of the hedge while wearing a cap and pretends to be driving the train.”
The couple, from Cotgrave, Notts, have seen the real-life version on a visit to the National Railway Museum in York.
It was on July 3, 1938, that the Mallard set the world speed record for a steam locomotive when it was clocked at 125.88mph on the East Coast Line just south of Grantham, Lincs.
It covered nearly 1.5 million miles before being retired in 1963.