This weekend, 23rd and 24th November, is the annual, self styled National Model Railway Exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham organised by the Warley Model Railway Club. It has become a major event in the model railway calendar with a large number and wide of layouts along with many associated trade stands, the key manufacturers and model railway press all present.
As has become usual the last few years I shall be at the show all weekend with Mike Wild editor of Hornby Magazine on their stand A44. Every year Mike has one of his many layouts on the Hornby Magazine stand A44, however this year there will be an extra special display with not one but four layouts and they will all be in different gauges too! Two of which will be making their public debut, assuming that Mike manages to actually finish them on time, he does like a deadline…
The first, very much complete layout, in 00 gauge will be my very own Canute Road Quay and it will be joined on the stand by: in N Gauge Barrenthorpe Shed, in 009 a narrow gauge Lynton and Barnstaple style terminus, and in 0 gauge (the magazines very first 7mm exhibition layout) a diesel depot scene. The latter two are so new they don’t even have a name yet!
One of the items that will no doubt be on show on the Hornby stand (not the Hornby Magazine stand) will be the livery samples of their forthcoming ex LSWR/SR/BR(s) Warner 20 ton goods brake van that was announced as being part of their 2019 range in January.
75 of this type of van were built between 1915 and 1921.
They were known to staff as ‘New Vans’ a name which they kept well into the 1950’s! They were up-rated to 24T by the Southern Railway and became SR Diagram 1543.
I was able last month to take a sneaky look at these samples and take a couple of quick snaps of both the LSWR and SR versions on Canute Road Quay.
Six versions will initially be available:
- R6911 – No. 9646, in LSWR goods brown livery
- R6911A – No. 5359, in LSWR goods brown livery
- R6913 – No. 55062, in SR Pre 1936 goods brown livery
- R6913A – No. 55009, in SR Pre 1936 goods brown livery
- R6915 – No. S55040, in BR unfitted grey livery
- R6915 – No. S55032, in BR unfitted grey livery
Although the show is considered by some a bit of a Marmite show (and who does not love Marmite!) I believe it is still well worth a visit and compared to other hobbies / events still a good value for money day out.
It is a chance to see inspirational modelling in every scale and gauge from across the UK and even Europe along with the major manufacturers and traders all under one roof.
If you are coming along at the weekend, please make sure you drop by the Hornby Magazine stand A44 have a look at Canute Road Quay and a natter. I look forward to seeing you there!
Thanks for the update. LSWR brake van looks good. Looking forward to seeing Canute Quay too. See you at Warley. regards Barrymx5
Hi Graham. Having been inspired by your Canute Road Quay layout, and building something using a similar track plan, I was wondering how you go about keeping the operational interest in the layout, do you a sequence for your shunting or a form of randomising it as in an inglenook puzzle? Or do you shunt wagons to your imagination? (If that makes sense?)
Matt
Hi Matt, I don’t use a sequence or any form or randomising such as dealing cards etc. I just shunt as I feel fit, usually choosing a wagon to move from a to b regardless of what other wagons are in the way. I add in other moves such as coal or ash wagon to and from the engine shed etc. I find I can easily loose plenty of time just shunting and “playing” I hope that helps
Hi Graham. That does help. Much appreciated.
Matt
Hi Graham, Happy to New Year to you and fellow readers of your blog. On a slightly more depressing note, I have just received my Hornby model of the diag 1543 brake van in SR livery. I am extremely disappointed to see that the SR goods brown livery has been replicated in a much lighter brown (closer to BR bauxite ?). Had I been paying more attention I should have commented on the pictures on your relevant blog, but I just put this down to being a pre production model. I’ve double checked my copy of ‘Southern Wagons vol 4’ and there no reference to a lighter brown being used. I would be interested in your comments on the livery on the model.
Kevin
Hi Kevin
I do agree with you that the SR brown livery that they that reproduced is unfortunately a lighter brown than it should be.
Hi Graham,
Thanks for your thoughts on this. It’s a great shame Hornby couldn’t get this right. I will be returning my model to the reseller due to the livery. It will be interesting to see whether any of the model railway press notice the incorrect shade of brown.
Kevin