Since my first visit to the United States to see my son (who features on this diorama), I have held a fascination for diners, especially those constructed with a stainless steel finish. I try to patronise them when visiting the States to enjoy a ‘healthy’ burger and a root beer. This fascination has given me the desire to build a diner scene and what you see is the result.

Miss Bettie’s diner is found on a busy highway in the state of Colorado sometime in the 1960s. It is a popular meeting place for local people and, also, attracts much passing trade. The now disused rail track will eventually become an extension to a nearby preserved railroad. The ranch is a stud for breeding racehorses and, also, houses a collection of vintage tractors and farm machinery which is open to visitors at weekends.

The diner is a Walthers Cornerstone kit in HO gauge or 1:87 scale or 3.5mm=1foot. The main building colour was in grey so I sprayed it with stainless steel paint to obtain the realism. I have changed some of the interior colours and added more detail. The cars are from Oxford Diecast, with other vehicles from various US manufacturers. The majority of figures are from the Woodland Scenics range. Other scenic materials and accessories are from various US and UK suppliers.