Having visited the Farnham show, next stop was Warlingham School for the Croydon MRS show.  It was an easy run, overshooting Redhill by a couple of junctions on the M25, then a quick drive up the A22.  Strangely, Warlingham School is only about 3/4 mile from Riddlesdown and the venue for our show this year, but is accessed from the other side of the hills and the two are separated by fields and woods.

I got into the show to find that there were already a few fliers out.  Not sure where they came from, but I added a few more.  And then went to look around the show.  Unfortunately, it seemed that two layouts had dropped out at the last minute, and the exhibition lost quality because of that.  But there are always trains to look at, and some photos of some layouts are included below…

Knuddelstein (N) is a bit of a rabbit-warren layout, set in Austria, but there’s plenty to look at an it’s a lot of fun.  Interestingly, it may operate with DC or DCC, and the overhead catenary works in DC.

Cicely Bridge TMD (OO) is set in east Lancashire and the addition of a steam shed means that any period from 1956-2000 may appear.  (Now this is one totally reasonable approach to different eras – rule 1 and mix and match!)

Red Hook Bay (HO) is a regular at exhibitions, but it’s always worth a look, and I discover some new detail that I’d missed before – it’s scenically so dense…

Oakbourne (OO), a terminus ‘somewhere in England.’

Saint-Jude Les Mines (HO) is a minor station on a French light railway.  It’s interesting to see a French railway, as they don’t seem to be modelled that much in the UK.

Hemlock (3mm) is fine-scale TT, 14.2mm gauge.  It’s a lovely little model based on Hemyock Station on the Culm Valley light railway.

Upton Lacey (N) is set in the Cotswold’s.  I very much like the station building, and the hand built track looks good – even with code 80 rail.

Meinrheinszene is loosely translated as ‘My Rhine Scene’ that sums it all up – a fictitious scene somewhere close to the German, Swiss and French borders and Basle.  This allows a wide range of stock to run – all plausible, but not always prototypically accurate.

And finally, this nameless OO9 micro next to the pay desk caught my attention.  No points, just a sector plate, but an attractive cameo that allows a little idle shunting.  Never let it be said that you haven’t room for a railway!