Tag Archives: Princes Risborough and District MRC

Canute Road Quay

Sounds that can’t be made… or they can on Canute Road Quay and RisEx 23/02/19

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Sound fitted DCC controlled locomotives are being more and more popular, effective and cheaper, especially since the introduction of cheaper sounds chips such as the Hornby TTS range of sound fitted decoders. However whilst the sounds of the locomotive themselves are achieved with a few add on sounds such as doors closing and guards whistles, what such sound fitted locomotives emphasise is that the ambient sounds of people, machinery, birds, water or waves (where appropriate) and sounds of the rolling stock, buffering wagons and flange squealing that is missing.

For Canute Road Quay I wanted to provide an overall immersive experience for the viewer at an exhibition by providing a mix of sounds to include not just steam locomotive sounds but those of the rolling stock and other typical background sounds that you would hear at a working quayside. I also wanted it to be reasonable subtle.

Hornby have recently partially addressed these requirements with their R6925TTS sound fitted vent van this has 29 separate sounds that covers some of the above ambient sounds including steam, locos, wagons being shunted, flange squeal, birds etc.  However, this would not be suitable for use on Canute Road Quay for a number of reasons; firstly it requires DCC control requiring each sound to be activated, up to three at any time, using function buttons rather than just playing on a loop, , secondly it does not feature all the sounds I require such as Herring Gulls etc. and finally would really require the wagon, which is not quote the correct period for my usual 1946 to 1949 period to be located on the layout all the time which would hamper operation a bit.

I therefore having spent some time looking around for suitable sound clips to make my own file, came across a friendly and efficient small supplier called BigTrainSound.co.uk The guys here can supply a number of off the shelf sound files ranging from platform announcements to urban sounds from different eras and weather conditions including thunderstorms. Another service they provide is to produce bespoke soundscapes of either 30 or 50 minute duration tailored to meet a clients needs.
Paul at BigTrainSound.co.uk quickly gained an understanding of my requirements from looking at pictures of Canute Road Quay, reading this blog and from my own suggested required sounds. Within a couple of days I had a schedule of proposed sounds and timings for approval followed by a provisional sound file. By the end of the week I had the agreed completed 50 minute soundscape file, very efficient service!
The ambient soundscape file is built upon a base layer of breezes and lapping water sounds then with multiple other sounds layered over it at different times including the following: Herring Gulls, steam locomotives shunting at various times (actual sounds recorded of shunting at Bristol and Goole docks), wagon wheel squeals, ships hooters, distant fog horn, truck arriving and departing, conversations, unloading wagons, dogs barking etc.
Last month saw the first exhibition with the sounds being played via a Bluetooth speaker simply clamped underneath the layout. I was certainly very pleased with the overall effect and even though the locomotive / shunting sounds are not synced with the actual movements during operation, it became a bit of a fun challenge to try and get the movements to coincide, which we managed quite often so much so viewers often commented that they thought the locos were DCC Sound fitted!

The video clips above give a brief idea of some of the sounds. I can totally recommended the great service by Paul and his team at BigTrainSound.co.uk as a very satisfied client.

If you want to see Canute Road Quay and experience the ambient sound effect, Canute Road Quay is making an appearance this coming Saturday 23rd February at the excellent little RisEx exhibition organised by the Princes Risborough and District Model Railway Club.
The show is being held at the ,Community Centre, Wades Park, Stratton Road, Princes Risborough, Bucks, HP27 9AX and is is open between 10.00 and 17.00

Canute Road Quay at RisEx will also be in the company of my friend Simon Paley’s Norwood Road Layout, set in the West Croydon area circa 2000‘s along with eight other layouts. Some say… the show is worth a visit for the cakes alone…

If you planning to pop along to RisEx, please make sure you to say hello.

PS. if you are wondering about the title its a sneaky reference to one of my favourite bands, their 17th album in fact..

Canute Road Quay, Exhibitions, South Western Circle

The quay facts about being on the road with Canute Road Quay

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The next couple of exhibition appearance of Canute Road Quay are drawing near, as always I always look forward to exhibiting my little train sets and enjoy catching up with friends and making news ones alike.

An ex LSWR Adams B4 0-4-0T shunts the loco coal to the small sub shed at Canute Road Quay. The B4 is a McGowens white metal kit.

There will be a new feature on Canute Road Quay for these shows as I have commissioned a sound file of suitable background ambient sounds, including steam loco sounds, wagons shunting and buffering up, vehicles moving, voices, general quayside sounds and yes a few gulls make an appearance! I will cover the production of this in a future post with feedback on how it was received after these couple of shows.  As long as I set the volume carefully I believe it will add to, not distract from, the overall effect, time will tell…

In just weeks time over the weekend of the 26th / 27th January 2019 Canute Road Quay will be travelling to its spiritual home and inspiration at the Southampton MRS, exhibition being held at the Barton Peveril Collge, Chestnut Avenue, Eastliegh, SO50 5BX
This excellent show, which is a regular show I visit,  will feature an impressive line up of 24 layouts across a range of scales and gauges and genres. Other highlights from an SR / BR(s) perspective include:

  • Bosun’s Wharf – 00 – BR(s) 1960s
  • Evercreech New – 00 – BR S&D 1950s
  • Fawley – 00 – SR 1930’s
  • Redbridge – 00 –  BR(s) 1960s
  • Littleton – 0 – BR(s) 1960s
  • Atlantic Road – N – 1998 Southern in London

The show opening times are, Saturday: 10.00 to 17.00 and Sunday: 10.00 to 16.30. Also if you are not already a member of the excellent South Western Circle, the historical society for the London South Western Railway, then they will be present with a stand and you will be able to sign up at the weekend!

USA 0-6-0T No. 68 shunts on the quayside at Canute Road Quay. She is a model rail commissioned loco by Bachmann.

A bit closer to my home, well literally very close to home (I could almost throw a lump of coal from my own little cottage in the Chiltern Hills to the show venue) is the RisEx exhibition on Saturday 23rd Feb 2019. This pleasant little show is organised by the Princes Risborough and District MRC,at the Community Centre, Wades Park, Stratton Road, Princes Risborough, Bucks, HP27 9AX

Canute Road Quay at RisEx will also be in the company of my friend Simon Paley’s Norwood Road Layout, set in the West Croydon area circa 2000‘s along with eight other layouts. Some say… the show is worth a visit for the cakes alone…

The show is open between 10.00 and 17.00

If you planning to pop along to either of these shows, please make sure you to say hello.

In addition to appearing at these two shows a few more exhibition appearances are lined up as part of the Canute Road Quay tour along also with a couple more appearances planned for Fisherton Sarum, check out my exhibition diary page here for further information.

Canute Road Quay, HW&DMRS, Model News

A bit of an update: Heljan 07s, 247 Developments and Canute Road Quay on tour

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This post is a bit of mix of a couple of updates in the BR(s) related model world and also where and when you can see Canute Road Quay on tour.

Heljan 07

Firstly, Heljan have announced a further run on their excellent 07 Class. This has been in response to strong demand and positive reviews, such as mine here, for the first production run.

One of the original releases D2985 is seen at rest on Canute Road Quay

Nine additional Class 07s are now being prepared for release in early 2019. These will cover new identities for the most popular BR green and BR blue editions which sold out quickly earlier this year, the well-known Eastleigh Works shunter of the 1970s/80s, D2991, plus two more  industrial versions in ICI grey/orange and Powell Duffryn blue/white. These model have a 6 Pin DCC socket and will be priced around £139. see below for the full list.

Artwork drawing for 2906: BR Eastleigh Works light green D2991

Version 1 – as-built BR Locos

  • 2904: BR(S) green D2986
  • 2905: BR(S) green D2988
  • 2906: BR Eastleigh Works light green D2991
  • 2907: BR blue D2998
  • 2908: BR blue 07002
  • 2909: Powell Duffryn blue/white ‘07006’

Version 2 – Later BR and industrial dual-braked variant

  • 2914: BR blue 2989
  • 2915: BR blue 07009 (weathered)
  • 2916: ICI grey/orange 07005 Langbaurgh

247 Developments

Friend, excellent modeller and proprietor of 247 Developments Brian Mosby has advised me that he now has produced 22 etched smoke box number plates 30081-89, 30092-103 and 30147 for the Dapol ex LSWR B4 Class 0-4-0t. Brian also stocks a range of SR etched nameplates and smokebox door number plates including the Lord Nelson class which will be of great use when the forthcoming new Hornby model arrives. In addition he stocks dated smokebox door roundels for the Bulleid pacifics and SR Engine Head Signal route discs. Brian’s products are of excellent quality and I can wholeheartedly recommend them.

Canute Road Quay on tour

It was a very enjoyable weekend at the Worthing MRC show last weekend with Canute Road Quay, Thanks to friend and fellow modeller Simon Paley for his assistance and company over the weekend and all those readers of this blog whom dropped by and said hello.

Simon keeps the visitors to the Worthing show entertained
A Dapol ex LSWR B4 ‘Caen’ in Southampton Docks livery makes her debut at the show

It is always a pleasure to exhibit at this show, I took Fisherton Sarum there in 2015, as the Worthing MRC club president, Dave Kent, is a friend and past member of the High Wycombe & District MRS. He will hate me for saying this again, as I know he reads this blog, but when I joined the Society at the tender age of 15, *cough* years ago, he took me under his wing so to speak, working on the scenery for the Societies then large 00 layout ‘Hillingdon Court’.  Dave is an exceptional modeller and some of you may well have previously seen is excellent SR third rail layout Ashington (which featured in the November 2007 issue of Hornby Magazine).

For those that could not get to Worthing, Canute Road Quay can be seen a few upcoming shows, the first of which is my own Model Railway Societies show in four weeks time, on Saturday 3rd November 2018 the High Wycombe and District MRS Wycrail 18 show being held at , , Cressex Community School, Cressex Road, High Wycombe, HP12 4UD It is always a good show and Canute Road Quay will be one of 30 layouts on show.

The first couple of months next year sees Canute Road Quay attending the following shows:

26th / 27th January 2019 – Canute Road Quay: Southampton MRS, Barton Peveril Collge, Chestnut Avenue, Eastliegh, SO50 5BX

23rd Feb 2019 – Canute Road Quay; RisEx Princes Risborough and District MRC, Community Centre, Wades Park, Stratton Road, Princes Risborough, Bucks, HP27 9AX

As always the full list of show dates can be found on my Exhibition diary page here. 

Canute Road Quay, Exhibitions, Workbench Witterings

The countdown to Railex exhibition, preparation is quay and some from the Workbench Witterings

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It is now less than two week to go to Canute Road Quay’s appearance at the excellent Railex exhibition organised by friends at the Princes Risborough and District MRC, being held at Stoke Mandeville Stadium, Stadium Approach, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP21 9PP on the 26th and 27th May  and I have been busy with final preparations.

An overall view of Canute Road Quay. Picture copyright and courtesy C Nevard and Model Rail

Even with a small layout like Canute Road Quay good preparation is required to ensure things go as smoothly, and just as importantly enjoyably, at the show. Canute Road Quay being only 5ft x 1 ft is somewhat easier to load and set up at a show than Fisherton Sarum but the steps for getting ready for a show are pretty much the same. The preparations, some are more obvious than others, include the following:

  • preparing packing the stock being taken and just as importantly in my case deciding what stock not to take!
  • track and stock cleaning, to ensure good reliable and slow speed running
  • checking coupling heights and uncoupler operation
  • general layout cleaning and dusting etc.
  • preparing and packing the loose detailing items (vehicles and packing crates etc.)
  • layout ancillaries, including:  transformer box, cables, lighting transformers, trestle supports, extension leads, curtains, spare controller, name badges, and relevant tools
  • operator comforts including: high stool, mugs (for the all important tea) and sweets and snacks (to keep up energy levels and act as a bribe for my fellow operator(s))
  • paperwork: show information and layout information sheets for prospecting exhibition managers
  • arranging operators to assist me at the show, somewhat easier with Canute Road Quay (in this case just the the one, in in the form of  friend and fellow modeller Simon Paley), than the larger number required for Fisherton Sarum!
  • overnight bag, if required, but not in the case of Railex as it is only 20 minutes from home
The revised fiddle yard arrangement the split cassettes feed arm can be seen

I have also made a small change to the way the cassettes in the off scene fiddle yard (a grand title for what is really just a shelf…) are handled and the electric feed provided. This is to make it easier to connect the cassette as previously I had two phosphor bronze spring clips fixed to the base which both provided the power feed to the aluminium section on each side and also ensured correct  alignment with the exit road. This arrangement also meant that the cassettes had to be aligned and slid in from the left hand end which was not all that practical due to the overrun protection at that side of the yard.

A closer view of the power feed arm and spring clip

I have now changed the nearest power feed and cassette alignment clip to be on a small lifting arm made from a suitable shaped piece of wood, complete with a nice little brass drawer handle. This enables the spring clip to be moved upwards and out of the way of the side of the cassette.
This arrangement now gives two advantages: firstly the cassettes can slid in and aligned easier from the front operating position; and secondly means that even with cassette in position the arm can be lifted isolating the cassette, where previously the cassette was live when the layout feed it adjoins to was live.

The feed arm in the up position

The cassettes I am using on Canute Road Quay, as I have mentioned before on this blog, are the 12″ loco cassettes from Fisherton Sarum and the some of these are made up on one side with two 6″ lengths of aluminium angle which I bridge electronically with a bulldog type clip and this allows for further isolation of a tank locomotive at the far end of the cassette.

Further to my previous post here about visitors to the quay  I have making some changes and or finishing touches to a couple of the locos in my fleet which may make and appearance the weekend, both are examples of the latest releases from Hatton’s in the shape of their delightful ex SECR P class 0-6-0t,  see my review here, and also their 14″ Andrew Barclay

A Hatton’s P Class now detailed and weathered

The P Class No 1558 already suiting my 1946 to 1949 modelling period being in post war SR black with ‘Sunshine’ style lettering has had crew fitted (in case the excellent ModelU 3D printed examples produced by Hatton’s specifically to fit the P Class), real coal added to the bunker and has been weathered.

The modified and weathered Hatton’s Andrew Barclay

My Hatton’s Andrew Barclay 14″ 0-4-0t has now been modified by replacing the existing buffers with wooden dumb buffers. The original standard buffers simply pull out and then the area of the bufferbeam filled flat to remove the rivet head detail. The wooden dumb buffers have been fashioned from rectangular plastic rod and suitably painted.

A further view of the Andrew Barclay

I have removed the original WTT branding in my usual way by rubbing with a cotton bud loaded with enamel thinners. As coal bunker space is pretty non-existent on these locomotives, having seen it photographs of the real thing added a couple of sacks of spare coal on just inside the cab and the other balanced on the running plate.  She has then been weathered to represent a pretty unkempt condition of such locomotives that were used on some of the other lines and private wharfs that existed in and around Southampton  area especially along the River Itchen. Like the P Class crew has been added using the ModelU 3D printed examples produced by Hatton’s.

If you are planning to visit Railex please make sure you come and say hello. I am stand 61, towards the right hand back corner (as you come into the hall)

 

Canute Road Quay

Canute Road Quay has a few visitors, including latest @hattonsmodels releases, but normal service is resumed after; and preparation for Railex

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It has been a busy period recent both in the arrival of some new ready to run models such as the Hatton’s ex SECR P class 0-6-0t,  see my review here, and also their 14″ Andrew Barclay along with some time spent applying some finishing decals prior to weathering of a couple of kit built models namely the ex LBSC D1  0-4-2t and ex SECR S Class 0-6-0st. All these models still require a little work, including in some cases repainting and numbering and also weathering. Some of you may have seen some of these pictures before on my twitter feed. 

SECR P Class 754 in WW1 grey livery

With the arrival of the Hatton’s P class I took the opportunity to temporarily move the location of Canute Road Quay further South east and backdate to earlier than my usual 1946-49 modelling period, including some of my earlier style wagons that do not usually get an outing. It is one of the advantages of having such a layout that has no real identifiable items to identify the actual time period.

ex SECR P Class 1555

Eventually to suit my preferred time period: No. 754 will be repainted and numbered to become  her later identity of No. 1557 in SR post war black livery, being one of the first two built with the slightly higher cab; whilst No. 1555 will be renumbered and lettered as No. 31555 with full ‘British Railways’ Sunshine lettering to represent her condition in early 1948.

ex LBSC D1 Class No. 2357

The ex LBSC D1 0-4-2t is built from a South Eastern Fincast white metal kit. In fact a couple of examples of the class, including No. 2286 are know to have been used at Southampton docks for a while in mid 1930s up to WW2 so I am not actually stretching history too far by running my model of no. 2357 on Canute Road Quay albeit in a slightly later post war-time period, although she was technically allocated to Ashford at the time so she is obviously on loan.

Andrew Barclay 14″ before being modified with wooden dumb buffers and weathered

The Hatton’s Andrew Barclay 14″ 0-6-0t will be modified to replace the existing buffers with wooden dumb buffers, have the WTT branding stripped off and suitably weathered to represent the condition of such locomotives that were used on some of the other lines and private wharfs that existed in and around Southampton  area especially along the River Itchen.
I also have a Hornby Peckett on order, that I will likewise modify with wooden dumb buffers to give some further variety to locomotives at Canute Road Quay and differ from the standard RTR versions. I will post details of this conversion in due course.

ex SECR S Class No. 1685

The ex SECR S Class 0-6-0 saddle tank No. 1685 is also built from South Eastern Fincast white metal kit. The S Class was in fact only one locomotive due to a requirement for a heavy shunter at Richborough Port during WW1 and so was converted from a C Class 0-6-0 tender locomotive, after the war she was transferred to Bricklayers Arms until withdrawal in 1951. Like the ex LBSC D1 she must be on load to Canute Road Quay.

ex LSWR B4 Class No. 100

With Canute Road Quay’s appearance looming at the excellent Railex exhibition organised by friends at the Princes Risborough and District MRC, being held at Stoke Mandeville Stadium, Stadium Approach, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP21 9PP on the 26th and 27th May 

USA Tank No. 70

I have started to return Canute Road Quay to its intended Southampton-ish location and the ex LSWR B4 0-4-0 and USA 0-6-0 tanks have returned along with suitable rolling stock and uncouplers etc all wheel cleaned, tried and tested in readiness for what I know will be an enjoyable weekend playing trains, shunting and talking.

USA Tank No.68

If you are planning to visit Railex please make sure you come and say hello. I am stand 61, towards the right hand back corner (as you come into the hall) and will ably assisted by friend and fellow modeller Simon Paley for the weekend, he being the much younger looking operator!

I hope this post has been of interest and as stated above it does show the advantages of having a layout that is not an actual real location but endeavours to capture a flavour and also is not easily identifiable to a specific time period. I also intend to occasionally run in a later 1960s period with a few diesel shunters so more on this in a future post.

Exhibitions, Fisherton Sarum, General

Fisherton Sarum as Risex show this Saturday with a couple of ex LSWR debutants

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As advised the other week Fisherton Sarum will be exhibited at the Princes Risborough and District Model Railway Club’s Risex show this coming Saturday . This nice little local show that showcases a number of local layouts, is being held at the Community Centre, Wades Field, Stratton Road, Princes Risborough, Bucks, HP27 9AX. The show is open between 10 am and 5 pm and is well worth a visit, so come along if you can and say hello.

Making their debut on Fisherton Sarum at the show will be two ex LSWR locomotives.

M7 No. 60 is a repainted Hornby model

Firstly is a repainted Hornby Drummond M7 to represent Salisbury allocated,  long frame pull push fitted number 60. I have repainted this model from her original Southern olive green livery into post 1946 Southern Railway black with Bulleid Sunshine lettering to match my modelling period.

No 60 is Pull Push fitted and will paired with my ex LSWR Emigrant Pull Push set 734

The intention is that she will be paired with my ex LSWR Emigrant Stock Pull Push set 734. At past shows this set has run with a my heavily modified ex Triang M7 (that had been rewheeled, detailed with a Crownline kit and repainted) but as she runs on her original X04 open frame motor she tends to catch out operators with the amount of power required to get her to start.
Number 60 has been repainted and lightly weather using my tried and tested method of Halfords plastic primer and satin black top coat and enamels picking out details before weathering. Further information on this process can be read here.

A12 class number 652 has been expertly built by Dave Taylor

The second locomotive to make her debut will be ex LSWR Adams A12 class 0-4-2 number 652, to work on either a secondary passenger or freight turns. I already have an Adams A12 in my locomotive fleet number 528 built quite some time ago as detailed in this post here, however she does not often appear on Fisherton Sarum as ideally she needs to be repainted and renumbered (as 654) in to Southern post 1946 black to be correct for my modelling period, but have not yet had the heart to do so.

Number 652 was a salisbury allocated engine and will be seen on secondary passenger and freight turns.

I can not lay claim to the build, as she was built by friend and excellent modeller Dave Taylor (some of you my have seen his fantastic 0-16.5 narrow gauge layout Bridport Town). She like 528 has been expertly built by David from a Nu-Cast kit and his build can be read about here on Dave’s inspirational Southern Locomotives RMweb kit build thread. She needed a new home once he finished her, although a few final details have been completed by myself, and I could not resist the opportunity to own such a quality model, it will be an honour to have her running on Saturday at the Risex show.

Fisherton Sarum’s next exhibition appearance after Risex will be on the 28th / 29th March at the  London Festival of Model Railways organised by Warners and The Model Railway Club at Alexandra Palace, London.

 

Exhibitions, Fisherton Sarum, HW&DMRS

On the local exhibition road…Loughborough Road

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This Saturday I will be assisting fellow High Wycombe and District MRS members Alan and Simon Paley with their delightful Pre-Grouping Midland and London North Western Railway layout Loughborough Road at the Milton Keynes Model Railway Society’s exhibition being held at the Stantonbury Leisure Centre, Stantonbury, Milton Keynes. MK14 6BN.

A nice unusual feature of Loughborough Road is the working traverser at the end of the platforms.

Alan’s Loughborough Road layout is a fictitious location but is based on the premise of the main road running south from Nottingham through West Bridgford to Loughborough. The Midland Railway line linking Kettering/Melton Mowbray/Nottingham runs through West Bridgeford and slightly further East was the London North Western and Great Northern Joint Railway line built to link Market Harborough & Peterborough/Melton Mowbray/Nottingham. There is no evidence that any station was proposed for West Bridgeford but it is not entirely impossible that the good citizens of West Bridgford – in 1900 a thriving and growing suburb – might have ambitiously established a terminus for the Midland Railway with LNWR running powers and all linked into a growing Nottingham suburban railway network. I always enjoy assisting Alan and Simon operating Loughborough Road with its pre-grouping splendour and can usually be found sat out the front happily shunting the yard and trying to keep up with the running sequence.

Merchant Navy 21C6 received attention from the Fisherton Sarum Engine Cleaners before its next turn of duty on the Atlantic Coast Express.

Keeping with the local exhibition Fisherton Sarum will be making is closest exhibition appearance to home next Saturday 21st February at the Princes Risborough and District Model Railway Club’s Risex show. It is being held at the Community Centre, Wades Field, Stratton Road, Princes Risborough, Bucks, HP27 9AX (I could probably hit the Community Centre with a lump of steam coal thrown from my house higher up on the Chiltern Hills escarpment, that’s how local it is!). The show is open between 10 am and 5 pm and whilst a smallish show it showcases a number of local layouts and is well worth a visit, so come along if you can and say hello.

Exhibitions

The final third, Ironstone at Railex this weekend

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It has been a busy three weeks exhibition wise.  Starting with a great weekend exhibiting Fisherton Sarum in its spiritual home at the excellent Salisbury and South Wilts exhibition. It was an honour to be involved with their 50th anniversary exhibition and meet so many visitors to the show that were familiar with Salisbury Shed including  a number of ex drivers. I enjoyed meeting and chatting to all and it was also great to meet some of the regular readers of my ramblings on here.

Buckminster Ironstone

Last Saturday I enjoyed assisting fellow High Wycombe and District MRS member, and regular operator with Fisherton Sarum,  Alan Paley with his exquisite pre-grouping Midland Railway based Loughborogh Roaad layout at the small Thames Valley Model Railway Exhibition. A very pleasant day was had playing trains.

A picture says a thousand words

This weekend is the final third, so to speak, and the largest of the three exhibitions being the excellent Railex show organised by friends at the Risborough and District MRC. I shall be joining the talented model railway builder and photographer Chris Nevard with his latest little master piece Buckminster Ironstone. It is only a small layout but it certainly packs a punch visually following on from a long line of iconic layouts from Chris.

I shall be assisting Chris on the Saturday so if you are coming along please say hello. Also in attendance at the show is the latest H0 and narrow gauge logging layout from the High Wycombe and District MRS, Prospect Point which is well worth a look.