I can hardly believe that a year has passed by, and I’m starting to visit the usual autumn run of exhibitions.  This weekend was a double header on the Saturday, at Farnham and Croydon.  I wanted to get to both shows to put out NSGE 2020 fliers.  The Farnham club show is an easy 40 minute drive from home over the Hog’s Back, and as usual they have put together a good show.   I got there early to find a parking space, and was at the front door in the rain 20 minutes before opening time.  I was impressed that punters were let in, then directed away from the show halls, that were not yet open, but along to the canteen at the other end of the building.  Coffee and a very respectable bacon roll were on offer and consumed whilst waiting for the show to open.

Brixcombe (P4) models the Great Western in South Devon.  Two time periods are modelled, before and after the Great War.  (This is an idea I have been meaning to blog about for weeks – how to model different periods on one layout.  Here’s another example.)  In some ways a pretty standard branch line terminus, but lots of scratch and kit built rolling stock and good, clean, scenic.

Langstone Bridge (N) is a exact scale model of the old wooden bridge linking Hayling Island to the mainland.  Chatting to the builder, he claims that he has exhibited this layout 5 times, and is yet to wear out his first Terrier!  I think that I must have been to 4 of the 5 shows.  Langstone is a simple but fun model of an interesting prototype.

Rolvenden (P4) models the Kent & East Sussex Railway in the 1920’s.  It’s a slightly modified model of the station at that time.  Lots of interesting rolling stock on view!

De Tenderloc (HO) is an interesting circular layout from the Netherlands.  It’s notably full of little animated scenes.  As the show guide says:

At the centre is St. Hercius dairy.  A dairy employee unloads the milk cans from the truck and places them on a conveyor belt.  Other animations include “truck driving backwards”, “man bites dog” a startled dog and much more.

Also of interest is the curved, vertically moving, fiddle yard.  In the station yard above, the yard crane loads and unloads crates from a wagon.  A stunning little model that is really interesting despite having no points at all!

Burdale Colliery (O) is based on the Burley Colliery in the North Staffs field.  Lots of shunting of open wagons by pretty little industrial locomotives – and an O8 diesel shunter.

Blackgang (gauge 3) is a regular on the exhibition circuit, but worth a look.  Gauge 3 is getting into serious model engineering.  There were some lovely models on show, though I really think this Terrier needs a crew.  Interestingly, all the locomotives are battery powered, and radio controlled – there is no power in the track.  I can think of a number of times when that would have been very helpful, though I can’t see it working in an ‘N’ gauge Terrier!

Bear Creek Junction (HOn3/HO) is a spectacular slice of old Colorado.  The builders must have incredible confidence in their trackwork (and their operators) as I wouldn’t trust my very expensive models to the top of that unguarded viaduct!!!!  There’s some interesting dual gauge trackwork around the loco shed, and some fine scenery throughout.

To be continued…..