I was a little put out to miss my favourite exhibition this year.  I’m not driving again yet, the lads visited the show on the Sunday, and I was called to lead the church service that day.  I do have the usual photographs from my roving reporter, Mr Dawes (Allan, that is), so we’ll spend a couple of days in deepest Sussex.  I’ve included most of the layouts, and they are presented more or less in alphabetical order, since I wasn’t there to choose my favourites.

Firstly, Bunkers Lane, O-9, and inspired by the Leighton Buzzard Light Railway.  I saw this charming layout earlier in the year, and it almost converted me to the rather different O-9 scale.  Bunkers Lane wins out for having some realistic scenery for the little trains to run though, and I like the long, narrow, two sided, baseboard.

Next, Central Alonzo Mill (HO).  This, again, would have been on my favourites list.  A Cuban sugar mill, complete with overhead electric and interurbans.  What is there not to like, especially when it’s all so well done.

Conyers Creek Signals (O) is a SECR branch set in the wilds of coastal Kent.  Lots of shunting and interesting rolling stock.

Hallam Town, 2mm finescale Minories.  They were having a little trouble with running last time I saw this neat little layout, on its first exhibition, as someone was trying an N gauge coach and it wouldn’t go through the points (surprise.)  No doubt that was solved quickly!

Hoath Hill (3mm scale 14.2mm gauge) represents a gypsum mine in East Sussex.  Scenically it is interesting, as the railway is viewed through a foreground of trees.

Ouse Wharf (P4) is again set in Sussex, on the LBSC.  I met the builder, Barry Luck many years ago as we were both water engineers, and he (unlike me) has built a series of lovely Brighton Line layouts in P4.

More next post.