Before I post a few more Stuttgart photos, a little reminder that Christmas is coming – even Boris can’t stop it!
Mind you, that tree looks about right for N gauge….
This is, of course, completely true!
And today’s modelling project – a Moses bridge. Build one of these and wait for the comments from the punters at the show! This is in the Netherlands (so it’s probably below sea level.)
The third meeting of the week, and once again we seemed to hit the Rule of Six. I’ll let Paul introduce the proceedings:
A third ESNG meeting in a week with just 6 attendees. The running session was enjoyable as ever. I went for a selection of Shinkansen sets from JR East. The E4 MAX Tohoku livery, E3 Tsubasa, E2 Hayate J Series, E5 Hayabusa and the E4 MAX Toki livery.
There was a bigger desk for the Treasurer….
Brian had built a very nice rail head treatment unit (RHTT). No scale leaves to go with it, though….
Some colourful Swiss goods from Allan….
Derek’s (Apps) little autocoach and loco were running very well…
More of Paul’s Japanese selection….
My Farish BR 2-6-2T, that I bought second hand, ran very well….
To close, here’s Brian’s usual record of the afternoon…..
And here’s how he built his RHTT…
Haven’t done one of these for a month!
I’m tempted to change scale – this looks easier than code 40 Finetrax!
Old and new on the Isle of Wight
This looks even more crowded than Paul’s lounge!
Ideas for your next (small) layout here??
A lovely Dutch layout of a French prototype….
Goodbye Waterloo as the busiest station in the UK – though I always thought it was Clapham Junction, anyway…
“Stratford overtakes Waterloo as Britain’s busiest railway station”
And if you are fed up with trains, try this site….
My birthday evening was spent at the second ESNG meeting of the week. Just the six of us, but that is quite OK with all the Covid cases about at the moment. We had the usual relaxed evening running, and of course, chatting.
Paul had his usual selection of Japanese trains on show….
Derek ran, amongst others, a long passenger train hauled by the Deltic prototype. It stayed coupled up most of the time!
And Michael had a traditional goods train on show….
I didn’t run anything, but sat and watched the trains go by!
Finally, for today’s post, we have an interesting modelling challenge. A Universal Carrier with rail wheels…..
And a lovely picture of Allentown on the Lehigh Valley. Note the streetcar on the bridge….
Simon went to the Model Railway Club mini-exhibition…
I moseyed along to this before the game yesterday. A few pics attached.
‘The game’ being Chelsea at home. No accounting for taste, is there!
New York Road extension for Copenhagen Fields (with the famous tube station toilets!)
And progress on Lacy Dale…
Meanwhile, Allan had an expensive day out on his holidays
Went up to Scograil in Ipswich on Monday with Sean. Meet up at East Croydon. Then with three changes we were up at Scograil. Interesting place shared with Ipswich Models and Coastal DDC. When you have enjoyed your visit. Do forget the home made cake shop next door. Here are a few photos taken a Ipswich & Barry Road Stations.
The cake shop is recommended!
Well, it’s that auspicious day again…. Not very important when you get to my age….
I’ve got several posts lined up for this week – some from Allan and Simon on safari, and some more Stuttgart pictures of that spectacular Danish junction. But today it’s my birthday. I started the day by being treated to breakfast out by Mrs Bartlett, and completed it with a Chinese takeaway with Michael and then another ESNG meeting.
In between, there were the presents…..
I took advantage of Strathwood’s 3 for the price of 2 offer. These two Southern Mogul albums are the only ones that I am missing for the Southern. Illustrating every member of classes N, N1, U and U1, they show every of the many variations that turned up.
My third book is full of EM1 and EM2 electrics. I’m never going to model this trans-Pennine line, but I love the pictures of electric locos on long trains of coal wagons.
A couple of Wagon Yard SECR wagons….
I also treated myself to a new music streamer. A footprint not much larger than a CD case, and it’s based on a Raspberry Pi board inside – and works very well indeed. Fortunately, I can transfer all the lossless files that are on my old one, with a little bit of editing – I’ve got as far as ‘L’.
Some useful presents from Chelle and Maxine. My old pair of slippers seem to have got too much use through retirement and lockdown and fell apart!
It will be back to trains, next post,,,,
A busy week this week. Three ESNG meetings, due to the vagaries of the calendar and the church hall being unavailable on one Sunday this month.
Six members attended a pleasantly relaxed afternoon running trains.
Dave brought along two of his corner boards. As with all of Dave’s work, they are very neatly done and of very solid construction!
Dave had a large box of American tank wagons, that looked good on the circuit (and largely stayed coupled!)
Allan’s new locomotive, completing his train….
Flirting with Brian (!)
Inspecting the track, Japanese style…
And maintenance, UK style….
And with the Cha(i)rman finishing his holiday, we went for a curry afterwards.
As here’s Brian’s usual video of the afternoon…..
Having seen Stefan’s comments on the show, I couldn’t resist another post on Stuttgart 2021. He writes
Everything (well – almost) is back at its place, pictures will be exchanged, mails written: an really very fine exhibition found it’s end. I want to thank everybody for being present in a very active way AND always complying to the rules during the whole show. For me it was so much fun to do this ENSC with you!!! This exhibition was the most relaxing one for me since years.
Stay safe ! Have a blessed Christmas time and a good start into a better following year (when we surely see each other again) !
And here’s his shot of the show….
Elsewhere, here’s a couple from NCI’s Facebook page….
These station modules appear every year and get better and better….
The fiddle yards are always impressive……
And this one rivals Paul’s Japanese collection!
And our Danish friends Hans and Kim Lee Christensen took some good pictures (and they do like British trains.) This is a most impressive junction.
A few more pictures…
And a reminder from 2008 – Kim Lee took this picture of a well stocked ESNG fiddleyard.
I was going to ‘borrow’ a few pictures of Stuttgart 2021 from Facebook, but Duncan emailed me:
Davida and I spent a couple of days at Stuttgart last week. Although we were masked the whole time, it wasn’t as strange an experience as we feared! It was great to see all the old faces, and some new ones, with some very interesting new modules and trains.
The layout was more separated than usual, with bigger gangways too, so there was more space. There was still quite a large connected layout though, including the large spirals by the counter.
No food evening of course, but we did all have a prosecco together before leaving the hall on Thursday
Thursday was very quiet, a bit busier on Friday, but Saturday looked to be getting much busier as we left.
And on the increasing Covid rates in Germany….
The numbers are going up rapidly, but we’ve had similar levels for the last 6 months. On Thursday they changed the rule from 3G (Vaccinated, recovered or tested) to 2G (Vaccinated or Recovered). Everybody coming in had to be masked (and EVERY single person was), but they had to show proof of vaccination or recovery too.
It’s strange, although the numbers were higher, I felt MUCH safer around people wearing masks and keeping their distance, than I did on the tube home where almost nobody was wearing a mask, and it was as crowded as it ever used to be.
And then Duncan sent a excellent set of photos of the show.
View over about half of the layout. We’re now in hall one, with the toy and game exhibition. All around the balcony was a huge Lego display.
A small T-Track module, made in 3 weeks. Nice forced perspective of an easily recognised prototype.
D’oh! A good excuse to use up all those primary colours in your painbox?
A really interesting Nm module from Peter Holzener. It uses an adjustable length track next to the bridge, so the whole module can change in length and angle. It was very useful to make the loop all fit together nicely.
A bit like Graham’s ‘inflatable module’?
Some nice French detail and texture.
Bodiam Castle end loop, made by Stefan using a hobby “building brick” kit.
Don’t give the KESR ideas – they’ll have the track round the castle in no time at all!!
Nicely detailed circus module, based on the real prototype.
Lovely detail on the Kustenbahner layout. It really feels like the north German coast.
Last one. New narrow gauge module from Michael Bange. Beautiful texture and detail, with a Lemiso “Brockenlok” passing through.
In closing….
I should have taken more, and better really, but I just did a quick lap when I remembered.
Apart from the masks it was surprisingly normal actually. I wish I’d been able to stay for the weekend, but there’s no flights from Gatwick at the moment.
Interestingly, the square in front of the Messe is a building site, for the new mainline station as part of Stuttgart21. When that opens, it will make the train from London at least an hour faster to the Messe.
Anyone for Stuttgart by train in 2022?
Perhaps I might just do a second post with a few of those Facebook photos….
Another day, another line….
Went on the Taka line today. Another one to cross off my bucket list. Will have to come back to do the Oakhampton line. They had an opening day yesterday. But it’s not open to the public till the weekend.
Crediton has been repainted in L&SWR colours and is well worth a visit. Barnstaple is in Southern green.
Finally after four days got photos of two locomotives. Class 66’s on a RHTT at Exeter St David’s. Also have now had rides on all the class of trains in the area….. Class 150, 166, 158, 159 (SWT) 255 (2 class 43 & 4 coaches) and of course 800’s. Head home tomorrow..
Would love to see a model of Class 66 in this state…..
All good holidays come to an end….
Well that’s it last day in Exeter. Do like all the old signage around Exeter St.Davids. Also got to meet Paddington Bear…………..
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