This show in Maidstone is an ideal outing for that period between Christmas and the New Year.  So Derek, Chris and I piled into Allan’s van for a visit, arriving early enough for a fry-up in the café before the show opened.  We had a pleasant morning out, and as last year there were some interesting exhibits at the show as well as plenty of trade.  I was very good, and just bought a cheap book for £1.

Here are some of the layouts.  Good to meet up with Ian and his little layouts.

Brankstone (OO) is a compact shed layout, showing what can be done in a small space, and presented in realistic surroundings.

Richborough Port (N) is an interesting layout – rare to see pre-grouping modelled in N.  It’s a SECR line serving a military port in WW1, with lots of railway, military and marine interest.

Queen Charlotte Dock gets better (and closer to complete) every time I see it.  I asked why there wasn’t a club member soldering one of the points (as has been the case in the past.)  I was told he was under the baseboard….

Long trains on a small modular version of Los Tanimals (N).

I liked the quaint narrow gauge of the Largar and Lime Works.

Pictures from the excellent Hobbs Hill, St Mellion and Upperton….

Dawn Quest’s new layout – based on ‘The Ladykillers’ movie – is a definite improvement on her monochrome layout.  Smaller, but more interesting and some lovely cameo scenes.

To finish, I enjoyed the ‘toy’ train displays, Lionel and Hornby-Dublo.

This notice is a good one for the layout – or perhaps not for today’s society?