The last selection of layouts from the show.

I’ve still got pictures of 19 layouts, but I’ll just post my preferred selection.   Starting with an industrial interlude.  Fen End Pit (16mm NG) is well travelled, but I always enjoy the working excavator, and tipper wagons filled and empty with sand.

Central Works (O) was, I think, a car factory!  Industry on a large scale.

Staying with O gauge, we have Hazelcombe (Hydraulic Heaven), filled with diesel-hydraulics.  Actually, some of the best stock there was a rake of Mk1 coaches.

And Staindrop, a North Eastern Railway branch in LNER days.  Some very nice rolling stock, with scenery to match.

Staying with historic railways, Spilsby (OO) modelled the Great Northern Railway in pre-grouping days.  Some lovely old locos, and a dream of a fiddle yard.  Interestingly, the layout is set at quite a low level – perhaps 2’6″, unusual these days of eye level viewing, but actually interesting to have a different perspective on things.

The Abbey Light Railway was a well observed light railway.

Coppell (OO) had a sadly accurate piece of modelling – a Royal Mail depot with the track taken up or used by RailTrack.  And the biggest fiddleyard I’ve ever seen!!!!

Your guess is as good as mine!

Finally, I’ve commented on the wide range of societies at the show.  Apart from a long chat with my old friend Bill Bishop on the South Western Circle, and talking to the 2mm Association roadshow and the S Scale Society, the Italian and French railway societies had small layouts on their stands – both of which were good modelling in their own right.

Getting home was even easier than going.  We thought that we had a poor connection at Finsbury Park, but the Thameslink service was a few minutes late, and we stepped across the platform from Great Northern to Thameslink.  At Redhill, I stayed one extra stop on the train to Earlswood, just five minutes walk from home.  The only stress was due to the internal route indicators on the train saying Brighton, whilst all platforms said Three Bridges.  They sorted that out at London Bridge.

As usual, a very pleasant trip to a good exhibition, with good company.  No doubt I shall be going back next year.