And a final selection from the show.  There were quite a few layouts that I didn’t capture, but I think that I caught all the interesting ones, and for good measure those worth a quick look.

Bocksley Town (N) is a sort of box file layout, but the individual modules are multiples of boxes.

Luke Robert’s Out West (ON30) does what it says on the can and is a cameo of the Colorado narrow gauge.  I don’t really like US narrow gauge wild west layouts (or logging layouts – I sympathize with the trees too much.)  But this little line is compact and neat with a rather fine backscene.

Lambourn (OO) is a model of an atypical GWR branch terminus – it had a lot of race horse traffic.  My picture shows how difficult it can be to hide baseboard joints.  There’s a rather nice 2mm finescale version of this station doing the rounds, too.

Bletchinghurst (OO) seems to be at every show I go to at the moment….

As does Frittenden Road (O). 

Trinity Dock Street Bridge (OO) is yet another familiar line.  I’m never sure about this one.  There’s some lovely modelling and some interesting stock there, but although it’s “grim up north” I’m not sure that Hull was really quite that dreary.  I really feel that a touch of blue in the sky here and there would transform things and the colour would set off the rest of the scene.  (But of course, it’s not my railway.)

St Mellion (OO) had this attractive quayside and steam coaster.  Perhaps it’s all too clean, but I do tend towards an ideal world for my scenery!  (Wot, no fish heads?)

Lenham (OO)

A tidy model of the Wantage Tramway in finescale 3mm (14.2mm gauge).

Ebsworth Street (OO).  Some interesting PW vehicles here.

Queen Charlotte Dock (O).  They’ve made a lot of progress since I last saw this interesting layout, but the soldering iron (and its operator) seemed to be in the same place as last time.

And last but not least, the fascinating Fen End Pit (16mm scale, 32mm gauge.)  A fun little layout, only last in these posts as it had one of the highest stand numbers!!!

And as a bonus, here’s a photo from RMWeb taken from the burger van queue.  Looking closely, bottom right, you can see the ESNG chairman drinking his tea, and even my left arm…. 

So that’s Chatham 2024.  Will I go next year?  Certainly if there is company.  The new exhibition team did a good job, and I’m sure they’ll do even better next year.  I see from RMWeb that they are already investigating bigger and better catering vans!

Having looked at my photographs again in writing these posts, I realised that there were some very good layouts there, and perhaps I have been a little harsh in my comments.  Or perhaps not?  It’s all a matter of personal tastes and interests, I guess.  For many people, a show with lots and lots of layouts, and even better, lots and lots of traders is just wonderful.  I think that I’d be happy with something half the size!