Rod Stewart secretly spent 23 years building a 1,500-square-foot model city in his attic - a 1940s American metropolis with five-foot skyscrapers. On tour, he reserved extra hotel rooms just to keep building.

Rod Stewart's Secret Attic City

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Most people know Rod Stewart as the raspy-voiced rock legend behind "Maggie May" and "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy." What almost no one knew - until he finally revealed it - was that he had been spending decades building a secret city in his attic.

A Hidden City Two Decades in the Making

Stewart's model railway, named Grand Street and Three Rivers City, spans 1,500 square feet and takes up most of the third floor of his Beverly Hills mansion. The layout depicts a 1940s American metropolis inspired by New York and Chicago, complete with five-foot skyscrapers, a railway station, period cars, tunnels, bridges, and over 100 feet of track. Every pavement stone is a slightly different color. Gutters contain fake garbage. Rust is applied by hand.

He Built 90% of It Himself

"I would say 90% of it I built myself," Stewart said. "The only thing I wasn't very good at and still am not is the electricals, so I had someone else do that." He spent 23 years building the city. "If I'd have realised at the start it would have taken so long, I'd have probably said, No! Nah!"

Hotel Rooms as Workshop Floors

Even while touring the world, Stewart refused to stop building. He arranged for hotels to remove beds from extra rooms and install ventilation fans so he could work on the city's skyscrapers and scenery. "We would tell them in advance and they were really accommodating," he said. Nineteen concert tours came and went - and the city kept growing.

The Passion Behind the Project

Stewart traces his obsession to age 8 or 9, when he spotted a model railway in a shop window during a holiday in Bognor Regis, England. He said: "When I take on something creative like this, I have to give it a 110 percent. For me, it's addictive." He kept the hobby almost entirely private for decades, surprising guests when he finally switched on the trains.

Source:All That's Interesting

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Rod Stewart's model city called?

Rod Stewart's model city is named Grand Street and Three Rivers City. It depicts a fictional 1940s American metropolis inspired by New York and Chicago, complete with skyscrapers, a railway station, period vehicles, tunnels, and bridges.

How long did Rod Stewart spend building his model railway?

Rod Stewart spent 23 years building his model railway. He worked on it across 19 concert tours, reserving extra hotel rooms as workshops so he could keep building while on the road.

How big is Rod Stewart's model train set?

Rod Stewart's model railway layout spans 1,500 square feet and occupies most of the third floor of his Beverly Hills mansion. It features five-foot-tall skyscrapers and more than 100 structures.

Did Rod Stewart build the model railway himself?

Yes - Rod Stewart built approximately 90% of the model himself. He only handed off the electrical wiring to someone else, handling all the buildings, scenery, landscaping, and detailing personally.

Where did Rod Stewart keep his model city?

Rod Stewart built and kept his model city in the attic of his Beverly Hills mansion. He also worked on pieces in hotel rooms while on tour, requesting that hotels remove beds and set up fans for ventilation.

Verified Fact

Verified 2026-06-08. 8+ sources checked. Primary source: Stereogum stereogum.com (Nov 13 2019) - carries 23 years, 1,500 sq ft, Beverly Hills third floor. Secondary sources: NME (direct Stewart quote "almost 26 years" - calendar span to reveal, not build time); AmusingPlanet, Grunge, ToneDeaf, Cheatsheet, Model Railroader track plan. 23 vs 26 years: Resolved. "23 years" = active build time (fact framing: "spent N years building"). "26 years" = calendar span from 1993 start to 2019 reveal per Stewart direct quote (NME). Both are defensible; "spent 23 years building" is the majority-source and cited-source figure. Cited source (Stereogum) confirms 23 years and 1,500 sq ft. Claims checked: - 23 years building: CONFIRMED - Stereogum, TMZ, ToneDeaf, Cheatsheet, AllThatsInteresting. (NME has "almost 26" = calendar span.) - 1,500 sq ft: CONFIRMED multiple sources including Stereogum (cited source). - 1940s American metropolis inspired by NY and Chicago: CONFIRMED. - Five-foot skyscrapers: CONFIRMED (Model Railroader: "more than five feet tall"). - More than 100 buildings: CONFIRMED (Model Railroader: "more than 100 structures"). CORRECTED from "hundreds of buildings." - Track length figure REMOVED: "100 feet" (TMZ) conflates room length with track; actual mainline 900 ft (Model Railroader). Omitted to avoid misleading precision. - 90% built himself: CONFIRMED - direct Stewart quote across multiple sources. - Extra hotel rooms (beds removed, fans installed): CONFIRMED multiple sources. - 19 concert tours: CONFIRMED (Grunge, consistent with timeline). - Third floor Beverly Hills mansion: CONFIRMED (Model Railroader, Stereogum, ToneDeaf). - Childhood origin age 8-9, Bognor Regis shop window: CONFIRMED (AmusingPlanet, Cheatsheet). - Fake garbage in gutters: CONFIRMED (TMZ; Stewart quote via OurPlace). - Pavement stones each different color: CONFIRMED (Stewart quote). - source_url: Updated from allthatsinteresting.com (403-blocked) to Stereogum which carries all headline specifics. - social_text/article/faqs: corrected "hundreds of buildings" to "more than 100 buildings" and removed unsourced track-length figure. social_text reworded - image will need re-rendering. - No images generated yet - no image nulling required.

All That's Interesting

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