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CHELTENHAM GWR MODELLERS GROUP


MODEL RAILWAY EXHIBITION


SATURDAY 30 OCTOBER AND SUNDAY 31 OCTOBER 2010
 

  
 

THE NEXT EXHIBITION WILL BE HELD ON
SATURDAY 27 AND SUNDAY 28 OCTOBER 2012
 

  
 

Click here for Introduction and future exhibition information
 

  
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For review of  Autumn 2011 click on the picture above

 
   
 

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Click on picture for review of April 2012

 
   
 

Click on picture for review of April 2012

 


 

LAYOUT AND ATTRACTION REVIEW
 

  


 

WOOD STREET by Swindon MRC

O Gauge 7mm Scale
 

  
 

Wood Street was a minimum space industrial layout inspired by typical urban shunting yards that could be found throughout England. The time frame was deliberately flexible to facilitate the use of different member's rolling stock - all fitted with thre link couplings - including a variety of small tank engines and diesel shunters. Structures and buildings were largely freelance although Wood Street was partly derived from a road in the Old Town of Swindon which still had rail access until the early 1970s. Trackwork on the layout, including four points, was Peco.
 

  

Wood Street was a minimum space industrial layout inspired by typical urban shunting yards that could be found throughout England.  The time frame was deliberately flexible to facilitate the use of different member's rolling stock - all fitted with three link couplings - including a variety of small tank engines and diesel shunters.  Structures and buildings were largely freelance although Wood Street was partly derived from a road in the Old Town of Swindon which still had rail access until the early 1970s.  Trackwork on the layout, including four points, was Peco.

Great Western 0-6-0PT 6410 was built in November 1934 to Swindon Lot 294.  First and last GWR sheds were Aberdare and the Yellow route available locomotive was withdrawn from Tondu in November 1962.  Also of interest was this weathered 16 ton mineral wagon coupled next to a 10 ton 5 plank wagon formerly in private ownership.

 

  

Wood Street was a minimum space industrial layout inspired by typical urban shunting yards that could be found throughout England. The time frame was deliberately flexible to facilitate the use of different member's rolling stock - all fitted with thre link couplings - including a variety of small tank engines and diesel shunters. Structures and buildings were largely freelance although Wood Street was partly derived from a road in the Old Town of Swindon which still had rail access until the early 1970s. Trackwork on the layout, including four points, was Peco.



NEW HARBOUR JUNCTION by Rob Newman

O Gauge 7mm Scale

 

  
 

Passengers could change from the British Railways train (more often than not a ‘Derby Lightweight’ railcar) to the adjacent light railway which provided a ‘Galloping Goose’ railcar for their passengers. Freight wagons were hauled up from the harbour by a variety of steam or diesel industrial locomotives, to be collected by the BR pick-up goods using the connecting spur. Larger BR tender locomotives often passed by New Harbour Junction as light engines on their way to a nearby motive power depot. The layout could be operated to accommodate rolling stock from different parts of the country so changes in location could be made during an exhibition.
 

  
 

At just 15' x 18" this compact layout portrayed the interchange point between the British Railways line and the parallel light railway serving a small docks complex which purported to be beyond the bridge.

Passengers could change from the British railways train - more often than not a Derby Lightweight railcar - to the adjacent light railway which provided a "Galloping Goose" railcar.  Freight wagons were hauled up from the harbour by a variety of steam or diesel industrial locomotives to be collected by the BR pick-up goods using the connecting spur.  Larger BR tender locomotives often passed New Harbour Junction as light engines on their way to a nearby motive power depot.  The layout could be operated to accommodate rolling stock from different parts of the country so that changes in location could be made during an exhibition.

As well as being one of a select group of "foreign" locomotives to share a name with a Great Western Railway "Castle" 4-6-0 ( preserved 5043 in this case )  30757 "Earl of Mount Edgcumbe" was one of two 0-6-2Ts built by Hawthorn Leslie in 1907 for the Plymouth, Devonport and South Western Junction Railway and one of only three ex PDSWJR locomotives absorbed by the Southern Railway.  Originally numbered 4, then 757 under the Southern system, 30757 ended its life as Eastleigh Works shunter until withdrawal in December 1957. 

The Plymouth, Devonport and South Western Junction Railway was incorporated on 25 August 1883 and opened its 22 1/2 mile route from Lydford on the London and South Western Railway to Devonport on 2 June 1890.  L&SWR trains operated over the double track route and the PDSWJR itself was absorbed by the L&SWJR in 1922.


Passengers could change from the British Railways train (more often than not a ‘Derby Lightweight’ railcar) to the adjacent light railway which provided a ‘Galloping Goose’ railcar for their passengers. Freight wagons were hauled up from the harbour by a variety of steam or diesel industrial locomotives, to be collected by the BR pick-up goods using the connecting spur. Larger BR tender locomotives often passed by New Harbour Junction as light engines on their way to a nearby motive power depot. The layout could be operated to accommodate rolling stock from different parts of the country so changes in location could be made during an exhibition.

 

  
 

CHEWTON MENDIP by Tim Tincknell

EM Gauge 4mm Scale
 

  
 

Chewton Mendip was a small intermediate station on the Somerset & Dorset Railway's little known Priddy Branch. Built during the latter part of the 19th Century, the branch left the Bath Extension at Chilcompton, passing Emborough and Chewton Mendip, then on to Priddy. Never much of a success, with the residents of Priddy finding it easier to travel the shorter distance by road to Wells, the quarry at Emborough and the Brewery at Chewton Mendip provided the branch with its main traffic. As a result of economies during World War One, passenger services beyond Chewton Mendip were withdrawn, the line on to Priddy only remaining for the sheep fair and a small amount of freight.
 

  
  Chewton Mendip was a small intermediate station on the Somerset & Dorset Railway's little known Priddy Branch.  Built during the latter part of the 19th Century, the branch left the Bath Extension at Chilcompton, passing Emborough and Chewton Mendip, then on to Priddy.  Never much of a success, with the residents of Priddy finding it easier to travel the shorter distance by road to Wells, the quarry at Emborough and the Brewery at Chewton Mendip provided the branch with its main traffic.  As a result of economies during World War One, passenger services beyond Chewton Mendip were withdrawn, the line on to Priddy only remaining for the sheep fair and a small amount of freight.

The layout was constructed with SMP finescale track and handbuilt pointwork mainly on copper clad sleepering.  Buildings were mostly from Wills and Ratio kits - with some modifications - or scratchbuilt using Wills components.  Scenery was a mix of Woodland Scenics, Hornby, Noch and Heki with mainly Heki trees and Hornby Skaledale stone walling.

Locomotives and rolling stock were mainly kit built from a variety of manufacturers with carriages made of plastic and locomotives made from etched brass.  The layout has a boxed presentation and is front operated for ease of home use.


Chewton Mendip was a small intermediate station on the Somerset & Dorset Railway's little known Priddy Branch. Built during the latter part of the 19th Century, the branch left the Bath Extension at Chilcompton, passing Emborough and Chewton Mendip, then on to Priddy. Never much of a success, with the residents of Priddy finding it easier to travel the shorter distance by road to Wells, the quarry at Emborough and the Brewery at Chewton Mendip provided the branch with its main traffic. As a result of economies during World War One, passenger services beyond Chewton Mendip were withdrawn, the line on to Priddy only remaining for the sheep fair and a small amount of freight.

 

  
 

HARTBURN by Ian Manderson

EM Gauge 4mm Scale
 

  
 

Hartburn is a small village in Northumberland.  It was never served directly by rail but lay just north of the old Wansbeck Valley Railway from Morpeth to Redesmouth, with the nearest station being Angerton.  However, the original plan put forward in 1855 to link Morpeth and Rothbury proposed a line running via Meldon, Hartburn and Long Witton.  This proposition pre-dated the Wansbeck Valley.  A survey and report was produced by John Willet but nothing came of the project and Rothbury was eventually linked to Morpeth by the Northumberland Central Railway (NCR) that joined the Wansbeck Valley at Scot's Gap.  The track plan of this EM layout was based upon an amalgamation of the 1862 and 1896 layouts for Angerton with station buildings based on those at Brinkworth on the NCR.
 

  

Hartburn is a small village in Northumberland.  It was never served directly by rail but lay just north of the old Wansbeck Valley Railway from Morpeth to Redesmouth, with the nearest station being Angerton.  However, the original plan put forward in 1855 to link Morpeth and Rothbury proposed a line running via Meldon, Hartburn and Long Witton.  This proposition pre-dated the Wansbeck Valley.  A survey and report was produced by John Willet but nothing came of the project and Rothbury was eventually linked to Morpeth by the Northumberland Central Railway (NCR) that joined the Wansbeck Valley at Scot's Gap.  The track plan of this EM layout was based upon an amalgamation of the 1862 and 1896 layouts for Angerton with station buildings based on those at Brinkworth on the NCR.

The rural layout - which started as a test track - marked a change from Ian's more usual urban scenes and was presented in the 1962/1963 era just before closure with ex LNER J72s hauling freight trains to Rothbury and Metro-Cammell DMUs providing a token passenger service.

Although the sound of diesel engines from DCC chipped locomotives of various gauges is now often heard on exhibition layouts, during the two days of the show at St Margaret's Hall Hartburn evoked the open skies of rural Northumberland with Geoff Sample Wildsong Recordings. 

 

  

Hartburn is a small village in Northumberland.  It was never served directly by rail but lay just north of the old Wansbeck Valley Railway from Morpeth to Redesmouth, with the nearest station being Angerton.  However, the original plan put forward in 1855 to link Morpeth and Rothbury proposed a line running via Meldon, Hartburn and Long Witton.  This proposition pre-dated the Wansbeck Valley.  A survey and report was produced by John Willet but nothing came of the project and Rothbury was eventually linked to Morpeth by the Northumberland Central Railway (NCR) that joined the Wansbeck Valley at Scot's Gap.  The track plan of this EM layout was based upon an amalgamation of the 1862 and 1896 layouts for Angerton with station buildings based on those at Brinkworth on the NCR.



 

TALYLLYN ROAD by Andy Cundick

EM Gauge 4mm Scale
 

  
  Talyllyn Road was based on an Ian Rice design from his book "Light Railway Layout Design" (Ettrick), the main difference being a location change from the Scottish borders ( despite the Scottish rolling stock!) to the Welsh borders just east of Brecon. Tallylyn Road supposed a branch line similar to the Tanat Valley line just moved south and operated by the Brecon & Merthyr and Cambrian Railways in 1920. Built to showcase Andy's ever expanding EM fleet, Talyllyn Road has the potential to be expanded to embrace a reservoir line or military branch.
 

  
  Talyllyn Road was based on an Ian Rice design from his book "Light Railway Layout Design" (Ettrick), the main difference being a location change from the Scottish borders ( despite the Scottish rolling stock!) to the Welsh borders just east of Brecon. Tallylyn Road supposed a branch line similar to the Tanat Valley line just moved south and operated by the Brecon & Merthyr and Cambrian Railways in 1920. Built to showcase Andy's ever expanding EM fleet, Talyllyn Road has the potential to be expanded to embrace a reservoir line or military branch.

Of special interest on this particular occasion were the 10 ton six plank Talybont wagon and Armstrong Whitworth diesel shunter pictured above and below respectively. 

Talybont Timber and Coal Company fleet number 4 was built by the Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company in October 1902 with a tare of 5-17-0 and internal dimensions of 14' 6" x 7'3" x 3' 8". 

The 0-4-0 diesel electric coupled next to Highland Railway goods brake van 54 was one of a small fleet built in Scotswood Road in 1930 with the traction motor and jackshaft located under a sloping cover behind the cab.  Powered by a Swiss designed high speed six cylinder Saurer engine developing 110 bhp, this particular High Level Kits model represents the brake fitted "Lady Armstrong" which worked 30 mph passenger trains on the North Sunderland Railway from 1934 to 1946. 

The privately owned North Sunderland Railway was incorporated on 27 June 1892 and opened the 4 miles 6 chains between Chathill and Seahouses on 1 August 1898 with passenger services starting on 14 December 1898.  The line was managed by the LNER from 1939 and closed in October 1961.

Two of the more basic versions have been preserved by the Tanfield Railway and the National Railway Museum.  A more powerful 122 bhp version - numbered 500- was imported to Ceylon ( now Sri Lanka) in 1934 and is now looked after in proper working order by the apprentices of the Ratmalana Workshop.
 

  

The 0-4-0 diesel electric coupled next to Highland Railway goods brake van 54 was one of a small fleet built in Scotswood Road in 1930 with the traction motor and jackshaft located under a sloping cover behind the cab. Powered by a Swiss designed high speed six cylinder Saurer engine developing 110 bhp, this particular High Level Kits model represents the brake fitted "Lady Armstrong" which worked 30 mph passenger trains on the North Sunderland Railway from 1934 to 1946.



BLAGDON by Phil Lovell and Mervyn Miller

00 Gauge 4mm Scale

 


Blagdon was the terminus of the Wrington Vale Light Railway which left the Cheddar Valley Line at Congresbury. The station layout was one of the simplest possible, requiring only four points, yet it maintained operator interest with a regular passenger service and a small goods yard behind the station. The station building was typical of the style used on the line, the others being of GWR origin. There was no signalling, the branch being worked as one engine in steam.

 


Blagdon was the terminus of the Wrington Vale Light Railway which left the Cheddar Valley Line at Congresbury.  The station layout was one of the simplest possible, requiring only four points, yet it maintained operator interest with a regular passenger service and a small goods yard behind the station.  The station building was typical of the style used on the line, the others being of GWR origin.  There was no signalling, the branch being worked as one engine in steam.

The well ballasted and weathered track and point motors were both Peco and buildings were made from a mixture of card, plastic sheet, paper and corrugated foil.  The rolling stock was a mixture of proprietary and kit built with a large selection of kit built wagons.

 


Blagdon was the terminus of the Wrington Vale Light Railway which left the Cheddar Valley Line at Congresbury. The station layout was one of the simplest possible, requiring only four points, yet it maintained operator interest with a regular passenger service and a small goods yard behind the station. The station building was typical of the style used on the line, the others being of GWR origin. There was no signalling, the branch being worked as one engine in steam.

 

ELDER DYKE FOR CLOGGER by Eddie Whitlock

00 Gauge 4mm Scale



The line from Driffield to Seamer was single track and completed in 1846 with intermediate stations at Kilham, Langtoft, Elderdyke and Foxholes before the HB&SR was absorbed into the York and North Midland Railway. The York and North Midland controlled lines in the Hull, Whitby an Scarborough areas until 1854 when it amalgamated with the York, Newcastle and Berwick Railway and the Leeds Northern Railway to form the North Eastern Railway. The North Eastern Railway controlled most of the lines in the north east of England between the Humber and the Tweed and became part of the LNER at Grouping in 1923.

 

 

  

The Hull, Beverley and Scarborough Railway (HB&SR) was proposed to form a direct route across the flat land between Driffield and Seamer Junction without having to use the coastal route via Bridlington and Filey or the inland route via Malton.

The line from Driffield to Seamer was single track and completed in 1846 with intermediate stations at Kilham, Langtoft, Elderdyke and Foxholes before the HB&SR was absorbed into the York and North Midland Railway.  The York and North Midland controlled lines in the Hull, Whitby an Scarborough areas until 1854 when it amalgamated with the York, Newcastle and Berwick Railway and the Leeds Northern Railway to form the North Eastern Railway.  The North Eastern Railway controlled most of the lines in the north east of England between the Humber and the Tweed and became part of the LNER at Grouping in 1923.

At Elderdyke there was a short branch to Clogger to capture the vegetable traffic.  Elderdyke was not the largest village on this section of the route, so was not blessed with a passing loop, but it was the most convenient location for the Clogger branch to join the route. 

There was a siding connecting the works of Moore's printers, who had acquired the Second World War contract to print ration books for the government, and like the vegetable traffic, this generated many van movements.  Coal and general goods also arrived at Elderdyke by rail although passenger services were not well patronised outside the weekly Clogger market.  HB&SR passenger trains were in any case never more than four carriages long.

The layout was set in 1945 when the LNER embarked on its renumbering scheme so some locomotives carried old and some new numbers.  Similarly, both a Sentinel steam railcar and its replacement C16 4-4-2T and push-pull carriages appeared.

The Clogger branch closed to passengers in 1958 although freight continued until 1962 when the line from Driffield to Seamer closed to all traffic.

 

 

  
 

The line from Driffield to Seamer was single track and completed in 1846 with intermediate stations at Kilham, Langtoft, Elderdyke and Foxholes before the HB&SR was absorbed into the York and North Midland Railway. The York and North Midland controlled lines in the Hull, Whitby an Scarborough areas until 1854 when it amalgamated with the York, Newcastle and Berwick Railway and the Leeds Northern Railway to form the North Eastern Railway. The North Eastern Railway controlled most of the lines in the north east of England between the Humber and the Tweed and became part of the LNER at Grouping in 1923.

 
 

 

  

 
  THOMAS by Cheltenham GWR Modellers 00 Gauge 4mm Scale
 

 

   
 

Cheltenham GWR Modellers would like to express their gratitude to Bob at Harburn Hobbies for the donation of two long-sought-after animal water troughs and feeders for Thomas which were supplied within two days of an enquiring telephone call.

 
 

 

   
 

Cheltenham GWR Modellers would like to express their gratitude to Bob at Harburn Hobbies for the donation of two long-sought-after animal water troughs and feeders for Thomas which were supplied within two days of an enquiring telephone call. 

 
 

  
 

LLANTHONY ROAD by Richard Grosvenor

00 Gauge 4mm Scale
 

  
  Llanthony Road was loosely based on Gloucester Docks and its environs with a fine collection of scratch built buildings instantly recognisable to those familiar with the area.
 

  
  Llanthony Road was loosely based on Gloucester Docks and its environs with a fine collection of scratch built buildings instantly recognisable to those familiar with the area.

Until the mid 1980s the western side of Gloucester Docks had been served by the Docks Branch of the former Great Western Railway while the Midland built High Orchard Branch had served the eastern side until closure in 1972.  

The former GWR Docks Branch left the Gloucester-Cardiff main line at Over and crossed the Eastern Parting of the River Severn on a bridge before crossing Llanthony Road itself and arriving at Llanthony Yard opposite Bakers Quay.  Today Llanthony Yard - once well known as a cement terminal as well as handling seed and flour - is the site of the new Gloscat campus and the earlier 125 Business Park. 2009 meanwhile saw Bakers Quay re-opened as the Gloucester Quays designer outlet.

    
Richard Grosvenor imagined that the former GWR Docks Branch had survived at least into the 1990s and at St Margaret's Hall on this occasion he even brought back steam in the form of an ex GWR pannier tank and ex Lancashire and Yorkshire "Pug" 0-4-0ST.   

As trains arrived on the layout from the right hand end they passed under the former seed and flour mill conveyor and across Baker Street between the Tall Ships public house and the 1849 vintage Mariner's Chapel next to the Lock Warehouse of 1834 which until recently housed Gloucester Antique Centre.  Further to the left are representations of Foster Brothers Oilseed and Cake Mill ( built 1862 ), Llanthony Road bridge and the shops nearby.

Richard would be pleased to hear from anyone who worked in Gloucester Docks.                                                                                                                                                          
 

  
Richard Grosvenor imagined that the former GWR Docks Branch had survived at least into the 1990s and at St Margaret's Hall on this occasion he even brought back steam in the form of an ex GWR pannier tank and ex Lancashire and Yorkshire "Pug" 0-4-0ST.


 

PEN-Y-BONT by Frank Collins

00 Gauge 4mm Scale
 

  
 

Pen-Y-Bont was originally conceived as an entry into RMWeb's model railway forum "2007 Layout Challenge" competition and as such limited to six square feet.  Being 10' 6" long by 2' wide, Pen-Y-Bont can also be easily erected by one man in a short time and be easily transported in a normal family car.
 

  

Pen-Y-Bont was originally conceived as an entry into RMWeb's model railway forum "2007 Layout Challenge" competition and as such limited to six square feet.  Being 10' 6" long by 2' wide, Pen-Y-Bont can also be easily erected by one man in a short time and be easily transported in a normal family car.

It depicted a BR Western Region branch line terminus based on what might have been if the Tanant Valley line of the Cambrian Railway had been developed by the GWR.  The track plan was a cut down version of Aberavon, as were the station building and other infrastructure and saw passenger, parcels and freight traffic.



 
  Pen-Y-Bont was originally conceived as an entry into RMWeb's model railway forum "2007 Layout Challenge" competition and as such limited to six square feet.  Being 10' 6" long by 2' wide, Pen-Y-Bont can also be easily erected by one man in a short time and be easily transported in a normal family car.


THE BUCC STOPS HERE by Alan Drewett

00 Gauge 4mm Scale

 

  
  For the first time at Cheltenham, four examples of a single aircraft type are presented to mark half a century since the name Buccaneer was first applied to Blackburn's NA39 carrier bourne jet bomber. Also marking 50 years since introduction are Metropolitan Cammell's Blue Pullman diesel multiple units while the production InterCity 125s will be 35 years old in 2011. For more details click on the pictures above and below.
 

  

For the first time at Cheltenham, four examples of a single aircraft type are presented to mark half a century since the name Buccaneer was first applied to Blackburn's NA39 carrier bourne jet bomber.  Also marking 50 years since introduction are Metropolitan Cammell's Blue Pullman diesel multiple units while the production InterCity 125s will be 35 years old in 2011.  For more details click on the pictures above and below.

 

  
For the first time at Cheltenham, four examples of a single aircraft type are presented to mark half a century since the name Buccaneer was first applied to Blackburn's NA39 carrier bourne jet bomber. Also marking 50 years since introduction are Metropolitan Cammell's Blue Pullman diesel multiple units while the production InterCity 125s will be 35 years old in 2011. For more details click on the pictures above and below.
 

 

  
 

JOINT HARRIER STRIKE FORCE by Alan Drewett

00 Gauge 4mm Scale

 
 

 

  
 

This gave me the chance to realise an idea that I had first worked on in 1973 for a Harrier - and US Marine Corps AV8A - forward base somewhere in West Germany complete with tactical refueller, Bedford MK lorries, tanks and even a Sikorsky CH-3 Jolly Green Giant helicopter bringing in supplies.

 
 

 

  
 

If there is one thing I have learned about model railway exhibitions over the past five years it is the need to be flexible and improvise when necessary. 

Having set up The Bucc Stops Here - and brought along Flashpoint Korea to help fill an anticipated gap - there were still two empty tables next to me on Saturday, ready for Iron Horse Videos to arrive on Sunday.  One could be temporarily filled with Flightline and Ken Guest's diminishing bus fleet while for the second empty table I brought along the grass field alternative to the concrete apron used on the Airfield Embankment.

This gave me the chance to realise an idea that I had first worked on in 1973  for a Harrier - and US Marine Corps AV8A  - forward base somewhere in West Germany complete with tactical refueller, Bedford MK lorries, tanks and even a Sikorsky CH-3 Jolly Green Giant helicopter bringing in supplies.

Also joining the party - thanks to the kindness of my friend Tony Wood - were a pair of Royal Navy Buccaneer prototypes and a De Havilland 110 fighter built from the Frog kit.  I think I feel a Hatfield diorama coming on...

 
 

 

  
 

Also joining the party - thanks to the kindness of my friend Tony Woods - were a pair of Royal Navy Buccaneer prototypes and a De Havilland 110 fighter built from the Frog kit. I think I feel a Hatfield diorama coming on...

 


  MODEL BUS FEDERATION represented by Paul Mellor 4mm Scale
 

  
 

Half a century of the North Western Road Car Company (Glos) Limited was celebrated by this pairing of the firm's second ever type - a Leyland Royal Tiger with a Duple Roadmaster body - and a modern air conditioned Mercedes Benz Citaro Euro 4 with the apt registration VW10GLD. These two PSVs were surrounded by a huge curving display of 85 of the more than 400 vehicles which have worn the North Western Road Car (Glos) Company Limited colours over the years.
 

  
  Half a century of the North Western Road Car Company (Glos) Limited was celebrated by this pairing of the firm's second ever type - a Leyland Royal Tiger with a Duple Roadmaster body - and a modern air conditioned Mercedes Benz Citaro Euro 4 with the apt registration VW10GLD.  These two PSVs were surrounded by a huge curving display of 85 of the more than 400 vehicles which have worn the North Western Road Car (Glos) Company Limited colours over the years.
 

  
Half a century of the North Western Road Car Company (Glos) Limited was celebrated by this pairing of the firm's second ever type - a Leyland Royal Tiger with a Duple Roadmaster body - and a modern air conditioned Mercedes Benz Citaro Euro 4 with the apt registration VW10GLD. These two PSVs were surrounded by a huge curving display of 85 of the more than 400 vehicles which have worn the North Western Road Car (Glos) Company Limited colours over the years.


 
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ROAD TRANSPORT MODELLERS

represented by David Mellor 4mm Scale
 

  
 

Work continued on a number of established products including this very powerful MAN 8x4 tractor converted from another die cast model with detailing such as the silver tool box behind the cab. This is due to be completed in a spectacular variation of the colours of Eastington based Smiths. Similarly the scratch built Kelberg feed trailer coupled to a Renault 6x2 tractor unit will eventually appear in the markings of Avonline of Staunton Court to match the MAN 6x2 tractor in front of it.
 

  
  Work continued on a number of established products including this very powerful MAN 8x4 tractor converted from another die cast model with detailing such as the silver tool box behind the cab.  This is due to be completed in a spectacular variation of the colours of Eastington based Smiths, the cabside art being an abstract take on the "top of the globe" imagery used by Parcel Force..  Similarly the scratch built Kel-berg feed trailer coupled to a Renault Magnum 6x2 tractor unit will be completed in the markings of Avonline of Staunton Court to match the MAN 6x2 tractor beside it.
 

  

Work continued on a number of established products including this very powerful MAN 8x4 tractor converted from another die cast model with detailing such as the silver tool box behind the cab. This is due to be completed in a spectacular variation of the colours of Eastington based Smiths. Similarly the scratch built Kelberg feed trailer coupled to a Renault 6x2 tractor unit will eventually appear in the markings of Avonline of Staunton Court to match the MAN 6x2 tractor in front of it.



  TRAVEL 2000 LTD by Andy Peckham 4mm Scale ( Sunday only )
 

  
 

As well as a larger hardstanding for PSV storage, Travel 2000's premises now boast an inspection ramp, made from a Knightwing kit and at St Margaret's Hall supporting the company's Ford Transit van. Oriental additions to the fleet meanwhile included a double deck Leyland Victory with Alexander bodywork acquired from NLB of Hong Kong and an air conditioned single deck Dennis Dart with a Plaxton Pointer body which arrived via Stagecoach Devon from Stagecoach owned Hong Kong City Bus.
 

  
  As well as a larger hardstanding for PSV storage, Travel 2000's premises now boast an inspection ramp, made from a Knightwing kit and at St Margaret's Hall supporting the company's Ford Transit van.  Oriental additions to the fleet meanwhile included a double deck Leyland Victory with Alexander bodywork acquired from NLB of Hong Kong and an air conditioned single deck Dennis Dart with a Plaxton Pointer body which arrived via Stagecoach Devon from Stagecoach owned Hong Kong City Bus.
 

  

As well as a larger hardstanding for PSV storage, Travel 2000's premises now boast an inspection ramp, made from a Knightwing kit and at St Margaret's Hall supporting the company's Ford Transit van. Oriental additions to the fleet meanwhile included a double deck Leyland Victory with Alexander bodywork acquired from NLB of Hong Kong and an air conditioned single deck Dennis Dart with a Plaxton Pointer body which arrived via Stagecoach Devon from Stagecoach owned Hong Kong City Bus.

 

 

  
 

MODEL AIRCRAFT by Colin Hills 1/72 Scale

 
 

 

  
 

The sheer scale of Colin Hill's collection of fighter aircraft was difficult to comprehend, but included such rare and beautiful items as the McDonnell Douglas Phantom II commemorating the 60th anniversary of the first non-stop transatlantic flight by Alcock and Brown in 1919 - above - and the photo reconnaissance Gloster Meteor seen below.

 
 

 

  
 

The sheer scale of Colin Hill's collection of fighter aircraft was difficult to comprehend, but included such rare and beautiful items as the McDonnell Douglas Phantom II commemorating the 60th anniversary of the first non-stop transatlantic flight by Alcock and Brown in 1919 - above - and the De Havilland Mosquito seen below.

McDonnell Douglas Phantom II  XV424 - one of a total of 5 195 outshopped from St Louis, Missouri - was ordered on 26 October  1966 as one of 118 Phantom aircraft for the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy within the serial block XV406 - XV442. A total of 5,195 Phantoms were built. The RAF total included 118 F-4M and 52 externally virtually identical F-4K aircraft, XV424 being an F-4M-35-MC variant with works number 3084/0056.

XV424 was flown across the Atlantic to 23 Maintenance Unit at RAF Aldergrove in Northern Ireland on 12 February 1969 and officially taken on RAF charge the next day.  On 24 April 1969 the Mach 2 fighter was then flown to RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire, to join Number 6, the first RAF Phantom squadron which was part of 38 Group Air Support Command.  6 Squadron, optimized for ground attack and army close support duties with secondary tactical reconnaissance and air defence roles was declared operational from 6 May 1969 with ten Phantoms, later increased to twelve. Its role was to deploy at short notice to support NATO or British out-of-area commitments, with regular squadron exchanges to France, Italy and Germany and Armament Practice Camps mainly in Cyprus.

On 1 July 1969 6 Squadron’s 12 Phantoms took part in the fly past for HRH Prince of Wales’ investiture at Caernarfon Castle, North Wales, carrying the Squadron’s unofficial Flying Can-opener emblem, recalling its tank-buster role in World War Two.

Just under 10 years later, on 25 April 1979, XV424 flew to RAF St Athan for repainting as the first Phantom to receive the final version of the new air-defence overall grey. By 1 June however both XV424 and XV486 had been further reliveried in a special ‘Alcock and Brown’ scheme by Warrant Officer John Cooper, Sergeant. Ken Lillico and their volunteer team for the commemorative Trans Atlantic Flight Diamond Jubilee that month. XV424 was to be used for the actual flight and XV486 as the back-up aircraft.

The markings, specially designed by aviation artist Wilf Hardy, used an overall gloss light aircraft grey background, with a swept red, white and blue fuselage stripe, a raked Union Jack on the fin and commemorative inscriptions on the nose and underwing fuel tanks marking the Rolls-Royce engines connections to both Alcock and Brown's Vickers Vimy and the Spey powered Phantom as well as the 30th anniversary of NATO.  The badge of the International Air Tattoo - later associated with RAF Fairford - was also carried.

XV424 left RAF St Athan on 19 June 1979 and commenced its 5 hour 40 minute eastbound subsonic flight from Goose Bay, Newfoundland, on 21 June 1979.  At the controls was Squadron Leader A.J.N. (Tony) Alcock MBE (a No.56 Squadron Flight Commander and nephew of Atlantic Pioneer Sir John Alcock) and Flight Lieutenant W.N. (Norman) Browne, the latter a former Phantom navigator, brought back from his Buccaneer Squadron for the occasion. In-flight refuelling was provided by Victor tankers of No.57 Squadron on five occasions during the flight and the crew carried the original toy black cat mascot - ‘Twinkletoes’ - from the 1919 flight.

Two days later the same crew flew XV424 to Greenham Common, Berkshire to open the International Air Tattoo and from 25 June XV424 and XV486 flew regular interception missions from RAF Wattisham. However, on 23 July 1979 both aircraft were allocated to No.228 OCU at RAF Coningsby with XV486 backing up XV484 as the RAFs’ solo display Phantom.   By the end of November 1979 though, both Phantoms had been back to St Athan and resprayed in the standard air defence grey colour scheme.

On 25 June 1987  XV424 flew to the former Blackburn factory at Brough for modifications as one of 75 Phantom FGR.2’s receiving new British Aerospace built outer wing panels to extend their fatigue lives and by the end of its last 55 minute flight on 31 July 1992 it had amassed 5058 flying hours.  Having served with 6, 29,54,56,92 and 111 Squadrons plus 228 OCU, XV424 was then displayed at the RAF Museum in Hendon in 56 Squadron Firebird colours. 

However, Wilf Hardy's Alcock and Brown livery has been replicated on the nose of Phantom XV591 preserved at RAF Cosford.  First taking to the skies in June 1969, XV581 entered service with 892 Naval Air Squadron the following month and passed to the RAF in December 1978, joining 111 Squadron in January 1979.  Following the discovery of a structural fault in December 1987 XV591 was then grounded and dismantled.

The Mosquito NF Mk XV was a high altitude aircraft developed in response to a series of very high level raids launched by the Germans in the summer of 1942. These raids used modified Junkers Ju 86s, which were capable of flying above the service ceiling of any current British fighter. Although these were no more than nuisance raids, with very light bomb loads, work immediately began on high altitude aircraft to deal with the threat.

The NF Mk XV was based around the B Mark IV fuselage, equipped with Merlin 73 two stage engines and longer wings. It was the first model of Mosquito to have a pressurised cabin. Armament was limited to four .303in machine guns in a mounting under the fuselage.

The prototype NF Mk XV could reach an altitude of 45,000 feet. However, by the time it was ready to make an attempt to intercept one of the German raiders, the high altitude raids had stopped. The Spitfire Mk VI had come close to catching several of the raiders, and the last high altitude Junkers was flown over Britain on 9 September 1942.

The five NF Mk XVs (one prototype plus four production aircraft) remained in service with Hunsdon based 85 Squadron RAF until August 1943. They were then used for experimental work.

 
 

 

  
 

The Mosquito NF Mk XV was a high altitude aircraft developed in response to a series of very high level raids launched by the Germans in the summer of 1942. These raids used modified Junkers Ju 86s, which were capable of flying above the service ceiling of any current British fighter. Although these were no more than nuisance raids, with very light bomb loads, work immediately began on high altitude aircraft to deal with the threat.

 


  MODELLING DISPLAYS by Harvey Faulkner-Aston, Steve Adcock, Steve Harrod and Trevor Hale.
 

  
  Once again the gentlemen on the right hand side of the hall entrance displayed their creative skills, whether directed towards some 4mm loco coal wagons or a Mexican saloon in 1/48 scale!
 

  
  Once again the gentlemen on the right hand side of the hall entrance displayed their creative skills, whether directed towards some 4mm loco coal wagons or a Mexican saloon in 1/48 scale!
 

  
 

Once again the gentlemen on the right hand side of the hall entrance displayed their creative skills, whether directed towards some 4mm loco coal wagons or a Mexican saloon in 1/48 scale!
 

 

   
 

Also in attendance were Cheltenham Model Centre (Saturday) Castle Trains and Robbie's Rolling Stock (Sunday), Stewart Blencowe (Railway books, timetables and photographs),  Iron Horse Videos and DVDs, Clive Reid (RCSW Models)

DVDs of the Cheltenham GWR Modellers Exhibitions from 2006 onward are now available from Richard Pretious of Iron Horse Video Productions based at 77 Tilney Close, Alton, Hampshire, GU34 2BG.