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May 2024 give you all lots of quality railway time. And if you overindulged last night, note that only one city makes it easy to get home (or to stay on the train till you wake up!)
Friday, five of us bundled into Allan’s van, and headed for Maidstone to visit this new exhibition. It not only gave something railway-orientated to do between Christmas and New Year, but it was good to go to a show on the Friday, as it was running on the Friday and Saturday. We had a pleasant morning out, there were some interesting exhibits at the show – mainly in the larger scales – and it was good to visit with friends.
I didn’t photograph all the layouts, just what interested me. We’ll start with Frittenden Road, a KESR style light railway in O gauge.
Brief Encounter (OO), a layout in monochrome does what it says on the can….
Quevy (N) showed Germany with snow….
I haven’t seen Newchapel Junction (O) for a while, but there are always some lovely locos to look at.
Queen Charlotte Dock (O) was under construction, and needed a soldering iron, but will be a most attractive layout when complete.
Some fine large-scale American stock.
And finally, the Gauge 1 live stream layout. I especially liked the rake of LSWR coaches.
I’m enjoying a quiet post-Christmas week, and not doing much of the modelling that I had planned. So here’s some easy viewing to aid digestion after the Christmas excesses!
One of my favourite rail journeys. I’m glad to see that it’s still going strong, though the views aren’t quite as good as they used to be, due to all the construction around.
Another steep bit of railway. Fascinating and I’ve never been there. I do recall working in Peshawar and seeing the armoured train heading up the Kyber Pass. And viewing trains passing the Railway Golf Club course in Lahore – where vultures circled the course to penalise slow play?
All sorts of trains and trams in Leipzig….
A bit of Jago Hazzard…
Two very large and very excellent model railways. One club layout in the states, and the gigantic model of Stuttgart, sadly never completed, but now partially preserved (may have posted this before.)
And my New Year wish – that they’ll fix the local potholes before they get like this!
Hope you all enjoyed your Christmas Day! We’ll start today with some ghosts of Christmas past…
Brighton in 1906….
Eastbourne in 1905….
And the classic shot of the works Terrier at Brighton (photo Charlie Verrall)….
Petersfield in 1898….
And St Denys in the same era….
Moving into the Southern era, a lovely Adams Radial tank in 1936….
And Botley in 1928 – note the most impressive signal!
And an O2 at Nine Elms (photo Robert Mack)….
Two ‘N’ class moguls, 1825 and 1831….
And into BR days, an M7 in 1952, still in malachite green….
And a N15 leaves Bromley South in 1959. (Photo Paul Jay.)
And finally, Guildford in 1958. A real modellers picture this, with 700 and Q1 class 0-6-0’s and a 4COR emu in the smart Southern railway concrete platforms.
Christmas greetings and blessings to all our readers!
A wintery Hastings scene for Christmas Day (photo Rob Crouch.)
And this popped up as my Windows login and was quickly saved for a Swiss Christmas greeting.
As we head rapidly for Christmas, some snippets from the web……
Some American electrics, including the wonderful GG1’s….
Also electric, Gatwick has a new improved station. I haven’t got the train there, just driven underneath the bridge from the station to South Terminal….
More electrics – Cuba this time. The Hershey Railway was a fascinating line, and Andy Gautrey’s HO layout version is well worth catching at a UK show (or indeed online.)
A day in the life of a steam train driver – these days they’ve got it easy, really!
The last train to Easton…
And another take on this interesting little branch line….
And a little modelling to close. This is quite hypnotic, as well as being a neat little layout.
‘Twas the last meeting before Christmas – and a surprising nine people turned out for a little light relief. Good to see Terry back again, and a welcome to Alex.
Plenty of trains on the move…..
Chris’ lovely NSE express….
Southern EMU’s from Sean….
Allan’s Pink Panther still has an ESNG sticker and a red spot (do not send over the helix) from Stuttgart on the loco…..
Terry’s Schools…..
And some of Sean and Lucas’ stock….
So that’s all our meetings over till 2024. A solid year’s running. We’ve missed just a few meetings with too few members to set up the layout, but most have had a nucleus of six or seven members around to play trains. We’ll see what 2024 brings.
Day 3
Last day. Murky and wet – all photos taken around 9.30am. Took trams to Messe/Deutz Bf but on leaving station by wrong exit ended up doing a round tour of the Messe complex. Eventually found right way out and walked across the Hollenzollen railway bridge to Hbf. Will walk back through city centre to enjoy Kaffee und Kunche before returning to hotel, which they are kindly keeping for me even though I have checked out. Around midday will head back to Hbf for train to Dusseldorf Airport hopefully by a quicker train. Due to land Heathrow around 4.30 UK time.
The rather murky Rhine in Cologne….
Hollenzollen Brucke
And to finish this little trip, here is the evidence – Ron’s real reason for the visit?
To say nothing of this!!
Day 2
Clear but chilly. Took tram to Hbf and walked down the river to the market at the Chocolate Museum. The market was closed when I arrived around 10.30 and after having coffee and cake it was only half open so a wasted journey. Made my way round the markets at Rudolfplatz and Neumarkt. Then back to Hbf so a sit down. Then carried on to the Dom, Altstadt and Heumarkt markets before final Islington with another coffee and cake. One good thing is that I managed to pick up 2 gluhwein glasses. Now back in hotel for a quick freshen up before going out for something to eat. Have already checked in for my flight home.
Cologne and the canal by the Chocolate Museum
Rudolpplatz
Dom Christmas market
Altmark/Heumarkt markets
Koln Hbf. (Please note, Thalys is now operating as Eurostar)
Having just left Germany, we’re back again. You can’t keep Ron away from the gluhwein! The usual mixture of trains, tourism, and booze follow…..
Left home early in rain at 0345 with Allan, who drove me to Heathrow for my flight to Dusseldorf, where we landed 10 minutes [early or late?] Found train going to Cologne so jumped on only to find it was a local calling at all stations the long way round and took over an hour to reach Cologne. At this time weather was still dry so found temporary tourist office and purchased a 48 hour pass, which I found out gives me a 10% discount on food and drink at Kaufhof department store. Travelled 4 stops on tram to my hotel to deposit my case as I was over 3 hours early for 1500 check in. As I left to go into city for coffee and cake it had started to drizzle but when I got off it was a downpour. Afterwards took a quick walk through city centre before going back to hotel to check in. Am now drying out in my room before returning to city for evening meal and Xmas markets – well have not had a gluhwein today. [YET]
Trams.
Trains and Cologne Hbf….
And the hunt for the gluhwien……
After a meal took a walk around some of the Christmas markets. Busiest I have even seen them. Long queues for gluhwein and only managed to get one – note to self must do better tomorrow.
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