Sunny and windy. In view of good weather we decided to go up Snaefell so we took tram to Laxey for the mountain railway. As we crossed Mountain Road/TT Course we ran into low cloud, which continued up to summit, where a gale was blowing. After a hot drink we came down to Laxey for a tram to Ramsey. From there we travelled via Peel and outskirts of Douglas to Port Erin for last steam train of the day to Douglas.
A definite gale – the summit was leaning quite a long way!
Day 2 – what’s Ron’s weather forecast today? Not sure whether the first sentence is about the weather or about Allan and Ron???
Wet and windy with a couple of brighter periods. Took steam train to Port Erin and returned by bus the long way round via Peel and Ramsey. The weather on the west coast was better than on the east coast.
Wednesday night and we did manage to run a few trains. Just the five members again, but some slightly younger and keener ones! No photos, due to the natural laziness of the club secretary (who again was acting charman.)
Meanwhile, Allan and Ron are back on the Isle of Man. Wisely they flew there this time, avoiding the disruption of the ferries due to storms and gales. Ron writes….
Train to Gatwick under blue skies for flight to Isle of Man and landed early under cloudy skies. During bus journey to hotel it started to rain. Leaving cases in room caught horse tram to Derby Castle for Manx Electric railway to Laxey to meet friends from Vancouver Island who fly home tomorrow. On arrival it was raining heavily so adjourned to Mines Tavern for two pints of local beer. On return to Derby Castle it was still raining with strong wind blowing waves onto promenade. What could the four of us do but dash into The Terminus for another pint and a pub meal. Weather forecast is not looking good for tomorrow.
This trip is turning out as bad as Ron’s German jaunts – just count the pints of real ale rather than the gluvines? Statue at the airport looks like it was made after a few pints….
There wasn’t much at TINGS but I thought you might like these.
The layout was probably the best in show?
Nazareth Portland – The layout is based upon the Cement manufacturing industry of North East Pennsylvania in the USA. The time frame is early 1970s and features contemporary railroad equipment.
One of my favourite locations – interesting industry and Lehigh Valley and Lehigh New England railroads.
Next time, a return to the Isle of Man with Allan and Ron.
It was probably optimistic to have a meeting on the TINGS weekend. We didn’t run trains, but this was mainly due to illness and holidays. Five of the very senior members turned up, but felt no inclination to build a train set, so we happily spent the best part of two hours chatting and drinking tea. Lacking all members of the catering department, I had to serve drinks.
We did manage to finalise the show accounts, and eliminate the discrepancies between my master spreadsheet and the door and shop takings.
I didn’t get to TINGS this weekend, mainly due to the feeling that I’d come home disappointed. And I didn’t want to buy anything, anyway. Reports do seem to be that it has become a large second-hand boot sale. A few good layouts, but not as many as yesteryear.
However, Mr Rowlatt, our northern club representative, did go and has let me post his Facebook pictures of a few layouts.
The dust has settled on this year’s Open Day/Show. We can report a good number through the door, and it was especially good to have a fair number of local residents visit with their children – many below school age. All the kids were very good, and fascinated by the tiny moving trains.
Work started on the Wednesday afternoon. The church was not being used for the rest of the week, so we set up the N-mod layout, and used it for the club night. We had 7 members attend and help with the work (and a special mention to son Michael, who helped me stack a lot of heavy chairs.)
Saturday was hard work. We were down a couple of members, one with covid, and the other with a gammy leg. Special mention to Brian, who had demolished an aluminium ladder, whilst standing on it, and despite bruises lasted the day and took the video.
Moving on to my pictures. Chris kept the N-mod moving….
Opposite him, Martin ran his Dav-Tree. Still a little plywood to cover, but the scenery is coming together well.
Sean was running Forrestone, and showing off his new Revolution 66. Mr Bean is still driving his Mini across the bridge….
Beginners corner. Sean’s son Lucas was running his layout in a box, Oakley Lane, and my son Michael ran Windermere. Both very much their own work, with some advice from dad!
Neil was showing Rhine Rails. This layout has some history. I remembering coming to our show in the Methodist church many years ago. The builder died a couple of years ago, and the family offered us the layout. Neil took it on, and it’s back for another show with ESNG.
I brought along my lockdown layout ‘Kuritu II’ as a diorama, as I was too busy trotting around to do any running.
Our second modular system was the N-Club International double track layout. Richard was meant to bring some modules, but found he had double-booked himself. So I was shocked to find that I could make a respectable layout with my modules – bar one, Allan’s temporary Toblerone bridge!
Essential support services. Lily and Ian did their usual fine job managing the coffee and cake, whilst Derek and the club shop, and Neil’s emporium, seem to have sold a fair amount.
Derek also showed a few of the ‘Johannes’ mini-modules, designed on a length of Kato track as an entry to the hobby for young people.
Everyone was very good helping putting the church and hall back together. The day, of course, finished with 16 of us retiring for an excellent curry and we well-earned beer. We had a little while to wait for the curry house to open, so Sean captured the “ESNG Care Home”….
A good day! Very hard work, and for several days beforehand, but worth the effort. Next year? Who knows. I seem to have failed in my attempt to resign as exhibition manager.
After a years break, were back with the friendly ESNG open day. Our open day this year will feature both modular systems the club uses – the UK 4-Track n-Mod and the European 2-Track N club International system. We’ll also have a number of other layouts from club members. There will also be some new and pre-loved items for sale and the usual real coffee and cake.
The hall is our usual meeting place and is walking distance from Earlswood station, a little further from Redhill, and on a bus route. There is parking at the church and in the local streets.
Layouts
N-Mod Modular (22’x6′) UK Trains
N-Club Modular (22’x14′) Continental
Dav-Tree (16’x3′) UK (Contemporary)
Oakley Lane (4’x1′) UK Northern Trains
Forrestone (5’x1′) UK Southern (Contemporary)
Windermere (4’x2′) N-Mod Module
Kuritu II (3’x2′) Japanese Trams
Stocktondorf (10’x4′) German (Contemporary)
Trade
ESNG shop
Neil’s Emporium
I hope that a few local readers will get to the show….
A second look at this rather good show. We’ll start today with Gilly North’s loco scrapyard. I still thing this, her first layout, is her best. I understand that she went round the club asking, “Have you got any old, dead locomotives?” This is the result!
City Basin Goods (N) is an old friend, but still one of the best.
Lovely GWR broad gauge in the Parlour Railway.
Leigh St George (N) has stretched since it was at N Gauge Southeast!
Giffard Lane (OO) was very well presented…
Real TT120 – US style – Sorrento Park.
A few random photos that caught my eye!
A little OO9 with Heys Quay and Tidley.
We end with ‘O’ gauge dinosaurs, with Jurassic Halt. That’s one big brontosaurus (or is it a diplodocus?)
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