A little later than I wanted with this post but it's been a busy week.....
Last weekend brought an opportunity for me to visit Hull Model Railway Society's exhibition. The last time I ventured across the Humber to visit this show was when it was being staged in the Hull Town Hall. I cannot remember which year it was but the main attraction for me then was a layout depicting Evercreech Junction. This year there were a number of layouts that I've not seen before that I've been keen to see for quite some time.
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| Halifax King Cross |
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| Halifax King Cross |
Not sure what I can say about Halifax King Cross apart from superb. Operationally very smooth and scenically it just fits the area being depicted. In my opinion best in show.
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| Canada Road |
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| Canada Road |
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Canada Road is a simple layout and does make me question the size of my
test plank. Operationally and scenically there is more interest crammed
into 10'6" x 2' than in a quarter of my 14' x 1' 6" test plank. It also probably took less time to build. Hmm....
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| Stainmore Summit |
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| Stainmore Summit |
For me Stainmore Summit is a train spotting layout and one that I stopped to view on a number of occasions. A DC layout with double headed trains that worked well.
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| Farkham |
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| Farkham |
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| Farkham |
Another layout that facinated me was Farkham a layout depicting a secondary line passing through an urban landscape in the 1980s/early 1990s. A double track running into a single line enabled trains to be brought into scene and halt while they waited for a service to pass in the opposite direction. The overall presentation with the weathered buildings and rolling stock gelled the whole scene together nicely. The way that it has been designed with buildings and trees breaking up the layout into little viewing pockets is very interesting.
A small selection of photos of other layouts that I spent some time viewing....
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| Foston Mills |
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| Foston Mills |
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| Barrowfleet |
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| Buxton TMD |
Peter Denny's Leighton Buzzard was also at the show and what
can I say about this layout that has not already been written? I decided not to take any photos
of this iconic layout, I just stood and admired it for what it is...a legend. I, along with many others, have long admired the Reverend's work through the many magazine articles that have been published on developments of his Buckingham branch. The first article I read was in the September 1969 issue of the Railway Modeller. At the time, being a very young spotty teenager, I did not fully realise what I was reading but it was an article that dramatically changed the way I designed and built layouts. Leighton Buzzard may be showing its age a little but I've seen many exhibition layouts that couldn't hold a candle to this 50 something year old model.
So a very good show indeed, excellent layouts with good demonstrations and well supported by the trade. Hope I'll be able to cross the Humber to visit the show again, all being well, next year .
2 comments:
Hi Yan, re the comment 'there is more interest crammed into 10'6" x 2' than in a quarter of my 14' x 1' 6" test plank. It also probably took less time to build. Hmm....'.
They are both the same size by area of course 21 sqft but different subjects so don't bash yourself. I think the test plank though is becoming a railway in itself not just a test. Looked to be some nice models at Hull.
Ian, it's a question for a survey. How many of us give thought to the final operation - other than the fiddle-yard capacity - when we are totally engrossed in carpentry, soldering, painting and glue-spreading ?
Said the bloke who couldn't even fit a loco and two coaches into the (original)station loop.
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