A railway modeller with a keen insterest in all things Southern Railway especially the 1946 to 1949 period.
I can often be seen on the exhibition circuit with my Layout Fisherton Sarum or assiting MIke Wild the Editor of Hornby Magazine with his layouts at shows.
I am also long time member of the High Wycombe and District Model Railway Society
Today is the turn of Wood Street, nr Guildford to host one of the quarterly meetings of the South Western Circle . The SWC is historical society of the London & South Western Railway and for anyone interested in the development, history or simply modelling the proper railways to south west that formed the Western Section of the Southern Railway, it is well worth joining. Membership give access to the meetings, an excellent quarterly publication (and yes it’s a proper publication rather than just a newsletter), drawings, photographs and portfolios on LSWR subjects.
Today’s meeting is an illustrated presentation / discussion (as the meetings are very much open to all to contribute) by Colin Chivers on the East Devon branch lines to Exmouth, Budleigh Salterton and Sidmouth.
Such presentations are always on LSWR or ex LSWR subjects and not strictly restricted to just the pre grouping period which all helps broaden the interest. Members of the Circle includes many well known historians, authors, publishers and modellers whose attendance at these meetings adds to the discussions, the interest and information gained. All in all a very pleasant way to spend a few hours on a Saturday afternoon. I totally recommend the South Western Circle to anyone with like minded interests,
WYCRAIL celebrates its 40th birthday by relocating to a new, bigger and brighter venue with more exhibits and an improved visitor experience
The annual WYCRAIL model railway exhibition organised by the High Wycombe and District Model Railway Society, now in its 40th year, is firmly established as being one of the largest and best supported one day model railway exhibitions in the South East of England. But with over 1500 visitors the show has become a victim of its own success; and the limitations of the existing venue, with little room for expansion, have become more noticeable in recent years.
After due consideration of a number of alternatives I, on behalf of the HW&DMRS am pleased to announce that Wycrail ’12 will be held on Saturday November 3rd at a brand new venue:
The Cressex Community School,
Holmers Lane,
High Wycombe,
Bucks HP12 4UD
This is a modern, bright and much larger venue increasing the space available for the show from just over 7000sq feet to an impressive 17,600 sq feet. Feedback from past visitors had highlighted that perennial problem of successful shows; overcrowding. The new venue will allow for increased space to aid circulation, much wider aisles and larger rest and catering areas. The entire show will also be held under one roof for the first time in a number of years without visitors having to walk outside between halls.
WYCRAIL ‘12 will have over 25 high quality and inspirational model railway layouts, of both British and North American (Or British, North American and Continental) outline and in a wide range of scales and gauges including Z, N, 3mm, 00, H0, EM, P4, 0 and narrow gauges. Full trade support will be present ranging from tools, kits, electronic components to R-T-R models and books. The Hornby Hobbies roadshow will once again be a welcome presence at the show with, for the very first time at Wycrail, Bachmann Europe also in attendance.
The new venue is still very conveniently close to the M40 Junction 4 and the free vintage bus service will once again be operated between Wycombe Railway Station (Chiltern Line) and Wycombe Town Centre to the Cressex Community School. In addition, this year it will also operate between the venue and the nearby free Park and Ride situated close to the Handy Cross roundabout, M40 junction 4.
I will post more information about the show and layouts / traders etc. in due course. These will be up to the previsous high standard and variety that I am sure you have come to expect from this show but in an impoved venure with more space to circulate and also sit and rest to partake in the excellent cakes that that the have developed a reputation for as well!
Although this happened a week or so ago now on Saturday 25th February, and already quite widely reported, I thought I would for the record, post a few links to the interesting night time working of ex LSWR Beattie Well Tank 30587 doing some tests on the London Underground Circle / Hammersmith and City Line between Lillie Bridge Depot, Earls Court and Baker Street.
The testing with 30587, from the Bodmin and Wenford Railway, along with Metropolitan electric locomotive ‘Sarah Siddons’ and a couple of LU Battery Locomotives was to test and evaluate the effect on station fire alarm panels and passing trains of running steam engines through this section. Once again the London Underground demonstrate their forward thinking and willingness to hold such unique events, which they should be heartily congratulated for.
A great short video of the testing at Baker Street is on Leon Daniel’s, Managing Director of surface transport at TfL, youtube site here and also here if the embedded first clip below does not appear.
Firstly an apology for the lack of posts last week but as regular readers will know I have been travelling a fair bit, so this post is a bit of a catch up on a couple of events and items of acquisition news that have occurred relevant to the hobby in the last week or so with respect to Ian Allan, Hornby Magazine and also RMweb.
Model Rail Scotland with St. Stephens Road.
It was a good weekend operating St Stephens Road, Mike Wild’s Hornby Magazine layout at Model Rail Scotland.
St Stephens Road at Model Rail Scotland. A layout based on a Western / Southern Region interchange station in North Cornwall. I even managed to spend most of the time operating the Southern Region side of the layout although occasionally I had to switch to that oif the other railway! The exhibition, organised by the Association of Scottish Model Railway Societies, increased in size this year by approximately 50% by utilising part of a second hall at the SECC. It was a shame the two halls were not next to each other but the additional space and wider aisles certainly seemed welcome. I do not know if the numbers visiting were up on last year but trade at the Hornby Magazine stand seemed pretty good especially on the Friday.
Abingdon Exhibition with Hinton Parva.
Last Saturday was the last of four shows in five weekends operating four different layouts as we exhibited the High Wycombe and District Model Railway Society’s Hinton Parva layout at the Abingdon Model railway exhibition.
Hinton Parva keeps the viewing public entertained at the Abingdon show.
The HM&DMRS was well represented as we also had our 0 Gauge layout Blandford St Mary at the show too.
Hinton Parva is 32′ long and operates to an hours sequence involving more than 60 train movements, by nearly 30 rakes of stock requiring 7 operators at any one time. With movements occurring all the time along the entire length of the layout not just on the main and secondary lines but also the MPD and goods yard certainly ensures that there is always something for the spectator to see!
The layout performed extremely well, and we all had a good day. It was also good to see a number of the younger members of the Society as part of the operating team and generally out performing many of the not so younger members, it bodes well for the future of the hobby and the Society.
Key Publishing Acquire Ian Allan Magazines including Hornby Magazine.
Key Publishing Ltd. have announced the acquisition of the Ian Allan portfolio of magazines from Ian Allan Publishing Ltd. The purchase involves seven titles published by Ian Allan (Buses, Classic Aircraft, Combat Aircraft, Hornby Magazine, Modern Railways, Railways Illustrated, and Vintage Roadscene) together with a number of Annual publications.
Hopefully this is a positive step for the publications and will enable the magazines, especially Hornby Magazine to continue its growth and influence in the model sector. Full details of the acquisition can be read here.
RMweb now comes under the ownership of Warners Group Publications plc.
RMweb started by Andy York in March 2005 and has become the busiest online railway modelling community in the UK with a membership of around 15,000. Andy York will continue to lead the site’s development and management into the future for Warners. RMweb will continue to be free to read, free to join and free to participate and will still welcome contributions and topics from all, including those from / about other publications and manufacturers.
Fisherton Sarum, as I reported briefly on my last post, had a very successful weekend at the Festival of British Railway modelling, a couple of weekends ago now, held at Doncaster. The highlights of the exhibition can now be found on the British Railway Modelling website here along with some photographs and a video of the show that includes footage of Fisherton Sarum in action.
Fisherton Sarum taken just before the doors opened at the Festival of British Railway Modelling in Doncaster - February 11/12thI am pleased, as I said in my last post, how well the layout was received by the viewing public despite being quite a distance from traditional Southern Railway Territory. I still am amazed that three visitors to the show commented on the fact that they, like my own Dad, had bunked the shed in their younger days!
I am as ever very grateful to my Mum and Dad (who actually appears in model from in his short trouser days on the layout), and Roger, Mark and Daniel from the High Wycombe District Model Railway Society without whom I would not be able to exhibit Fisherton Sarum.
Continuing my current schedule of 4 exhibitions in 5 weekends with 4 different layouts we have now reached (say in a Geordie accent) ‘week 4’ which means assisting Mike Wild of Hornby Magazine with his St Stephen’s Road layout at Model Rail Scotland being held this coming weekend Friday 24th to Sunday 26th February. This three day show organised by the Association of Model Railway Societies Scotland (AMRSS) will be 50% bigger than ever before, utilising for the first time, two halls at the Scotland Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC) in Glasgow. Traditionally this show comprises of layouts from AMRSS member Societies with a small number of guest layouts from further afield along with full trade support including the leading manufacturers. The increase in floor space has enabled a greater number of layouts, including more non AMRSS layouts and more trade stands to attend.
An M7 pauses at St Stephen's Road before continuing up the Southern branch
This will only be St Stephen’s Road second exhibition appearance and the first for me operating it so a fast learning curve will be needed, before the show opens to the public on Friday Morning, especially as it has 4 fiddle yards!
The layout is based on a Western Region branch line in North Cornwall nominally just north of Launceston (those that know me will know that this is a challenge for me on a number of levels!). In reality both the Southern and Western had lines in this area and indeed at Launceston each had their own stations.
The Western Region side of St Stephen's Road
The saving grace with St Stephen’s Road, from my perspective, is that the station is also where a Southern branch meets the Western Region with a dedicated platform face for the Southern line. A junction and combined goods yard allows for workings between the two regions such as freight including china clay trains.
Fisherton Sarum attracts the crowds at the Doncaster Festival of British Railway Modelling a couple of weeks agoI am happy to report that exhibiting my own layout Fisherton Sarum, a couple of weeks ago, at the Festival of British Modelling Doncaster show went very well. The layout, except for very first thing on the Saturday morning before it warmed up, worked well and appeared to go down quite well with the viewing public despite being quite a distance from traditional Southern Railway Territory. In fact, and somewhat surprisingly considering where we were exhibiting, three visitors to the show commented on the fact that they, like my own Dad, had bunked the shed in their younger days!
There are just two days to go until the doors open to the public at the British Railway Modelling magazine Festival of British Railway Modelling at Doncaster Racecourse and the appearance at the show of Fisherton Sarum. As well as keeping an eye on the Met office website forecast for the next 24 to 48 hours, due to possible snow falling across the Midlands and my route from home to Doncaster, I have been preparing Fisherton Sarum for the trip north.
All boxed up and ready for loading. The green boxes resting on the top of the layout are the two lighting rig boxes. The control is nestled between the 'L'Girders of the baseframe under the layout's 'Target' style nameboard.
As with most layouts being exhibited some method of protection for transportation is required and this is not normally seen by the general public at shows. Although when set up the Fisherton Sarum is 20 foot long it was designed from the outset in such away that everything included the stock boxes (converted stout DJ cases for carrying up to 120 CDs) containing over 80 locomotives and some 20 coaches along with numerous wagons, will all fit in a Mondeo estate car!
An overview of the scenic section of Fisherton Sarum
My two scenic boards, each 4′ x 3′ are bolted together by wooden end frames to form a box just small enough to fit through though the tailgate of the car. The layouts legs are botled to the inside of baseboards ‘L’ girders and therefore fold up inside the baseboards out of the way. The whole box arrangement sits on a set of wheels for easy transportation from the car into and around the exhibition venue. As I use cassettes in the fiddle yards these boards are flat topped ‘paste table’ style and the legs fold up held in place by clips and then these slide alongside the scenic board ‘box’ in the rear of the car. Other items such as the end backscene pieces, lighting rig support struts and the control panel (whose width was designed specifically to do so) tuck between the ‘L’ girders of the upturned scenic board.
I hope this little insight into the behind the scenes aspect of exhibiting a layout has been of interest, if you are dropping by the exhibition please make sure you say hello! Fisherton Sarum is stand 11 at the show.
21C6 heads west past the coal stage on Fisherton Sarum. Image copyright and courtesy of British Railway Modelling Magazine / P Bason
With over 30 layouts ranging from N to O gauges, many of which ( including Fisherton Sarum, see February 2012 issue), have graced the pages of British Railway Modelling Magazine and over 80 trade stands there should be something for everyone.
It is also good to see that Fisherton Sarum will not be alone in flying the flag for Southern Railway / Region based layouts, these include Thornbury Hill, Brighton main line including third rail electrics in South London based C1962; Stodmarsh, East Kent Railway basedduring World War II; Soberton, the Meon Valley line in the 1950s and Lynton and Barnstaple Railway based Bratton Flemming in the snow!
I shall be ably assisted by my Mum and Dad (who actually appears in model from in his short trouser days on the layout), and Roger, Mark and Daniel from the High Wycombe District Model Railway Society to whom I am very grateful and would not be able to exhibit Fisherton Sarum otherwise.
As I mentioned in my post earlier this week, I shall be assisting Hornby Magazine editor Mike Wild operate his Berrybridge layout at the Stafford Railway Circle exhibition this weekend (4th/5th February). The Stafford exhibition, held at the Stafford County Showground (with ample free parking), is always worth a visit with over 30 layouts and 40 traders in attendance there is bound to be something for everyone.
A ex Midland 2F from '00' Works passes the good shed on Berrybridge. Photo copyright and courtesy of Mike Wild / Hornby Magazine
Berrybridge was originally built for an article in the magazine to prove that layouts do not always need to take years to complete and indeed could be built within 100 hours but in fact it only took 75!
It is based on a small freelance ex Midland station on a cross country route with a typical passenger and freight service serving the station and a small good yard. A small loco servicing facility is also included for good measure. The end to end format with turntable sector plates at each end allows for simple operation of quite an intense service. This ensures that viewers have something to see moving most of the time, which is something of a philosophy with the Hornby Magazine layouts.
One of the operational interests of the track plan is that generally trains are not able to pass in the short station loop necessitating freight to make use of the lie-by siding to allow other trains to pass.
As is usual I am sure I will answering many questions and politely advising some visitors that firstly, Mike Wild is in fact old enough to be a magazine editor and that I am not he; and also that the magazine is published by Ian Allan not Hornby Hobbies, having no connection to them other then the use of the name!
Berrybridge will be at the Stafford Railway Circle Exhibition on 3rd/4th February. Picture copyright Mike Wild
This coming weekend (4th/5th February) sees the Hornby Magazine layout Berrybridge making an appearance at the Stafford Railway Circle show, and I shall be assisting Editor Mike Wild for the weekend. Hornby Magazine are also the sponsors of Model Rail Scotland at the Glasgow SECC, and their layout St. Stephen’s Road is being exhibited for the three days of the show between Friday 24th and Sunday 26th February. This will be my first time operating St. Stephen’s Road, based somewhere in the South West, and I am negotiating operating the Southern Region branch line end of the layout rather than that of the other region! Model Rail Scotland is organised by the Association of Model Railway Societies in Scotland and this year will twice the size of previous years taking in two halls.
Hinton Parva where a Midland / Eastern Main line meets a Southen / Western Secondary line.
