Berlin transport

Another visit to a cold Berlin is arranged, moving on to Stuttgart.  As a bit of a filler, here are a few transport related pictures from previous visits.

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Tolworth Showtrain 2024 – 2

Next up is the familiar, but always interesting, Elbow Lane (OO).

A show favourite was Drws-Y-Nant (2mm finescale) a station between Bala and Dolgellau.  A simple passing station, but with a very strange piece of trackwork into the goods siding, and very much a place to watch trains in the landscape.  The sheep outnumber the passengers.

OO9 shunting on Loctern Quay.

Another show favourite, Wimborne Station (OO), a close to scale model of what was once the busiest station in Dorset.  Shunting in the extensive goods yard ensures that there’s always something on the move.

I’m not always convinced by heritage railway models, as it can be an excuse to run absolutely anything.  However, I’ll make an exception for Ropley (OO), a close to scale model of the loco works and sheds on the Watercress Line.  Great modelling – it’s very difficult to model something that’s under restoration!

A typical, but rarely modelled, bit of the Southern Region on Folly Lane (OO.)

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An interesting O gauge cameo layout, St Kew Highway.

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Light railway action on Compass Point (OO).  Although I’m not so sure about heritage railway models, light railways do allow one to let ones imagination go – providing there’s a Terrier.  Lots of good scenics here, especially the estuary at low tide.

A frosty morning at Kinmundy (EM), somewhere in Scotland.

The Wantage Tramway reimagined in OO9.

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And finally, entering Mr Dawes’ domain, the tea room, automated Austrian narrow gauge (OO9) on Kaninchenbau, and urban grot on Trinity Dock Street Bridge (OO).

Another excellent show, and a good morning out.  I hope to be driving again soon, to visit a few more of the local exhibitions.

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Tolworth Showtrain 2024 – 1

Saturday morning I got to my first railway exhibition since August.  My shoulder is on the mend, so I joined Derek and Derek for a visit to this always good show.  Arriving early to enjoy a bacon roll and coffee in the on-site café, we were first into the hall – a chance to trot round for photos before the hordes arrived.  As usual, I’ve got photos of most of the layouts – there was very little ‘filler’ in the show – and I’ll take the layouts in the order of the show guide.

We start with Lochty (EM), the goods only terminus of the East Fife Railway, operated by the North British Railway.  The lowering backscene is pretty basic, but typical of the local weather!

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Next up is the all too familiar Forrestone (N), manned by the ESNG reps, Sean, Lucas and Allan (though Allan seemed busy drinking the exhibitors’ tea room dry.)  

And also on video….

I’d seen Northport Quay (7mm scale, 36.75mm gauge) before, a well modelled piece of County Mayo with a lovely ‘Puffer’ at the quay.

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Los Tanimals (N) – USA modular railroading, and just a small part of their full set up.

Loughborough Midland (OO) is model of the old Midland Railway station, in the modern era.

Shepherdswell (OO) is a close to prototype model of the old East Kent Railway.  Lots of interesting industrial steam, plus the connecting Southern Region trains.

Wisteria Collop (OO9), and Gilly North’s Cynon Valley (N) based on her WW2 evacuation.

Two GWR branchlines, Bigbury-on-Sea (OO) and Dillmouth (O).

Part 2 of a very pleasant morning next time.

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ESNG meeting – 13 November 2024

An extra Wednesday meeting tonight, as some of us will be exhibiting in Stuttgart next Wednesday.  Seven members turned up, plus a welcome to Frank who came to see what was happening.  Actually not many trains and a lot of chat, but still a pleasant evening.

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Derek’s rubbish (well, scrap) train had its rubbish moments, derailing whenever he turned his back on it.

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Simon and Terry had the usual American contribution.

Chris’ DEMU…..

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Simon’s Brighton Works shunter….

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And Terry produced this lovely Nn3 (Z gauge) loco – but there was nowhere for it to run.

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And at the end of the evening we loaded up Allan’s van with all the bits needed for next week’s show.  A surprising amount…..

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Gravesend exhibition 2024

A selection of photos from the Gravesend show.  I haven’t used all of Mr Dawes’ photos – just the ones that seemed of particular interest.  In the interest of fairness, they again appear in alphabetical order.

Aquarium to Blackrock (OO9) is a model of Brighton’s Volks Electric Railway, opened in 1883 and the oldest operating electric railway in the world.

Ballyconnell Road (3mm scale, 15.75mm gauge) is a familiar layout at shows, but always worth another look – unusual both in scale and gauge.

Hawin Doorey (OO9) is a whimsical branch off the already imaginary Skarloey Railway on the famous Isle of Sodor.  A fun layout!

Locomotive Graveyard (OO) is modern image and does what it says on the can.

New Bridge Street (OO) has a loco shed somewhere in London, with tube trains running below.

Plant City (HO) is again familiar, but with lots of cameos to spot on the layout, and relaxed US style switching to watch.

Finally, Queen Charlotte Dock (O).  I’ve watched the progress on this layout over the past year or so, and its really coming together as an interesting smallish gauge O layout.

Hopefully, I’m off to the Tolworth show on Saturday morning, so I’ll be able to post a few of my own photos from there.  It will be the first show that I’ve got to since I did my shoulder – I’ve missed a few good ones so it will be good to get back on the circuit.

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Potpourri #1115

Today, a wander around the world-wide-web.  And there’s nothing better to start with than a Jago Hazzard (or three.)  I’d love to make a model of the old Ludgate Hill.

Some interesting South London history….

The London Routemaster is 70.  That’s funny – so am I (but not as well preserved!)

Some excellent Belgian modelling…

And an American basement layout.  Big, and simple, giving the trains a chance to stretch their legs and amble through the landscape.

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ESNG meeting – 6 November 2024

Seven of us turned up for Wednesday’s meeting.  A few trains were run.  The Cha(i)rman was engrossed in laminating our show passes for Stuttgart.  Graham was busy talking (though he did manage to run a train or two.)  I was thinking that I must bring something to run next time we have a meeting.

But a few members kept the wagons rolling.  Chris, with his excellent EMUs….

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Simon, unaffected by the USA election….

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And Derek’s RTC train….

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No meeting on Sunday, as everyone seems to be elsewhere, but we will meet next Wednesday before the Stuttgart pilgrimage.

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Folkstone exhibition 2024

I suddenly found these pictures from Allan, taken just before we went to Madeira.  What with all the fun of a holiday, I must of missed them.  So, better late than never, here are a few highlights from the show.

Starting with the always excellent Ambleton Vale (N)….

Not forgetting Southwark Bridge (N)…..

Nice tidy modelling on Wellbridge.  It struck me that bowls is a very good sport to model – nothing moves very fast during a game!

On shed at Upper Blackburn.

Moos.

The Stodden Hundred Light Railway….

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And Framplington.

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Beckenham & West Wickham MRC show 2024

The day before Uckfield, Sean & co. took Brunswik to the B&WW show.  Another I was sorry to miss, as I was a member with my father in my teens, and learnt a lot.  Here’s a show in the 1970’s, with their most excellent O gauge layout (3-rail but using the outside rail.)  Note the ‘formal’ dress code and the smoking.  I built the signal box (embossed brick card over a perspex shell,) and my father is in the background.  The locos were incredibly powerful and we regularly ran a 100-wagon goods train towards the end of a show.  Fun times!

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Meanwhile back at Brunswik….

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I haven’t posted all the layouts, but here’s a selection for today….

The wonderful Copper Wort (OO).  This is 1902 Edwardian Burton on Trent, an extremely busy town with the bigger breweries establishing their potential with the Midland Railway network with the smaller breweries muscling in between them.  The buildings are based on the breweries of Bass, Ind Cooper, Trumans and others, all based in and around Burton on Trent.

And of course Southwark Bridge (N).  Railways as I remember them,

I like the look of Wegberg & Arsbeck (N), based on the small town of Wegberg and its neighbouring village Arsbeck in north-west Germany, situated on the line between Mönchengladbach and Dalheim near the Dutch border. The British Army of the Rhine had a branch to RAF Wildenrath off the line and this junction is also modelled. The period depicted is 1955-1970.

I like the simplicity of Melin Dolrhyd (009), a real location on the Welshpool & Llanfair Railway.

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And the complexity of Dydley Junction (N), an exercise to see how many quarts can be squeezed into a pint pot of 4′ x 2’6″!

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East Docks (EM)….

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Newchapel Junction (O)

And a final bit of anonymous Southern Region!

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Uckfield MRC exhibition 2024 #2

Another batch of layouts from Uckfield.  We start with Meldon West (N).  I’ve seen Meldon several times around the exhibition circuit, and it’s always worth a look.  N gauge, but with fine scale code 40 track, some interesting scenics, and it looks far bigger than the micro layout that it is.

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Ruyton Road (P4), a light railway micro.

I’ve seen layouts in a guitar case, on an ironing board, but how about a surf board.  Sandsifters (P4) does just that, with another light railway theme.

St Ruth (2mm finescale) is a lovely layout based on Penzance.  Apart from the fine trackwork, there is some interesting scenery to view, including the clever 3D backscene, the attractive station overall roof, and the beach at the front.

Svanda NSB (HO) is set in Norway.  Always good to see a less common prototype!

Tucking Mill & William Smith’s Wharf (2mm) is a lovely fine scale cameo, with some interesting locos and stock operating it.  Note especially the backscene with the S&DJR viaduct pictured on it.

Lovely buildings and wagons on Yard No 2 (P4).

And finally, Plaxtol Road, yet another light railway theme!

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This looked the usual fine show.  I hope to be there next year, as it always delivers.

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