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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.

I think that I may get four posts from this show – there was such a good number of fine layouts to see. It’s interesting to see people’s reactions in the forums. Some thought it quite average – just shows how we all see things differently. There were the usual complaints about catering. Yes, it’s expensive, but I had a very acceptable bacon roll and coffee for breakfast, and a tasty cheese and bacon bap for lunch, together with a good pint of ale. Lunch was fun, as I met up with ESNG Cha(i)rman Allan as well as Malcolm for the pint. It’s always fun to introduce friends from different areas (and ages) of your life.

But back to the layouts.  I enjoyed the little tram layout, Books Bridge (On2).  All very well done and some interesting rolling stock.

Switching/shunting UK and American style.  The little East Dock (EM) and large Plant City (HO).  Completely different models, but both excellent in their own way.

Two N gauge layouts.  A branchline with Braughing & Standon, and the excellent mainline Brinklow, again based on a prototype station.  Brinklow is a good example of how to keep trains running without getting toy-like – all trains are appropriate for the location and period and come along one or two at a time rather than all at once!

Long Melford Junction (OO) is instantly recognisable as Norfolk or Suffolk, with the big grain warehouse and ex-GER locos.

And finally, a familiar line, Fawley (OO).  But always worth seeing as a model of Fawley before the oil refinery expanded, and for the lovely Southern Railway stock.

Good for one more post, I think!

We’ll start today with a couple of very large, and actually quite old, layouts.  Like Copenhagen Fields, these things take time to mature, and occasionally need a refresh.  Bournemouth West (OO) spent some time off the exhibition circuit, changing ownership and upgrading.  It remains a spectacular layout – better I think than Bath Green Park I saw at Abingdon.

Next up, Mostyn (P4).  I think this is the largest P4 layout that I have seen, and it runs impeccably.  The most impressive thing is the realistic train speeds.  Passenger and parcels trains trundle through at a good lick, but the unfitted goods inch their way out of the yard.

And now for something completely different – New Sharon (On2) – modelling the Maine narrow gauge.  Not that many trains moving, but lots of lovely scenic touches, including some very large pumpkins!

Last today, Two Bridges Up Sidings (OO).  I saw this layout earlier in the year at the Canterbury show, and liked it for its simplicity, constant action, and the fact that it models the railway just a few metres from my house.

We’ll take a pause for a club meeting report next time, then come back for more Ally Pally.

Once again, it was Ally Pally time.  I do like the venue, and I had a complementary ticket for being a member of World of Railways.  Even better, I arranged to visit with my old work colleague, Malcolm.  That made the travel fun as we reminisced about people and projects, as we had both spent our entire working career with the one company.

Travel was easy.  Thameslink from Redhill direct to Finsbury Park, a few yards to the opposite side of the same platform, then three stops on the local train to Alexandra Palace.  A bracing walk up the hill (it really gets steeper towards the top) got us there just as the early-entry tickets started to go in.  We typically immediately went for a coffee and bacon bap before the queues built up at the catering.

Overall, I thought the show was better than 2024, but that may just be my tastes.  It always seems that there is too much trade, but I guess that’s the only way to balance the books.  I do appreciate the number of specialist societies that have a stand at the show, modelling, and British and European prototypes.  Like last year, I haven’t posted photos of every layout, but just those I liked, or photos that have come out well.

I guess one has to start with Copenhagen Fields (2mm finescale), as this still remains a yardstick for large prototype layouts.  Details continue to be added, and some of the ancient scenics have, I think, been refreshed.  Mind you, the slightly faded background buildings look just the right colour for a typical London afternoon.

Although I’ve seen it a lot recently, I continue to be charmed by Drws Y Nant (2mm finescale.)  From urban grot to green rural Wales.  Lovely modelling, and the working lorry and level crossing gates give interest between trains.

Moving to an even simpler layout, I loved Kreuzweg (HOm), and I understand that it received a lot of positive comments.  Nothing simpler than a single track in Switzerland, passing through a snowy landscape.  No points at all out front, and simple scenery that focussed one’s attention on the skiers.

To finish this first selection, another small layout, Emwell (S scale).  It’s always good to see a layout in ‘S’, and this little terminus captures a typical Fenland scene with an ex-GER ‘Buckjumper’ shuffling a few wagons.

This just scratches the surface – more layouts large and small next time.  I appreciated the mix chosen for the show.  Some monster layouts, but also plenty of little ‘home friendly’ railways.