Gloucester Model Railway Exhibition 2016

Between 10 am to 5 pm on Saturday 18 June 2016 Hucclecote Methodist Church GL3 3QP (on the route of Stagecoach bus 10) will once again be the venue for the sixth of the current series of Gloucester Model Railway Exhibitions. Between 10 am to 5 pm on Saturday 18 June 2016 Hucclecote Methodist Church GL3 3QP (on the route of Stagecoach bus 10) was once again the venue for the sixth of the current series of Gloucester Model Railway Exhibitions.  It featured eleven working layouts in gauges N to O with trade support from Penduke Models and Keith’s Bits and Pieces.  I am particularly indebted to Des Penduke for supplying me with some 4mm scale poppies for a project to be publicised in the future.

Entry prices were £2.50 adult and £1.50 children.

The range of exhibits at this charity show appealed to both keen modellers and local families. Previous shows have been enjoyed by all, not least for the excellent buffet.

The 2016 poster image shows the surrender of the single-line token as a train from Ryde arrives at Ventnor. Until modernisation in the late 1960s, the Isle of Wight was a haven for vintage (pre-1923) steam trains. Class O2 tank engine No. 17 Seaview was built in 1891 by the London & South Western Railway. The leading coach was built in the early 20th century by the London Brighton & South Coast Railway. The signal box was built by the Isle of Wight Railway in 1866. Sadly, Ventnor station closed in 1966..

 

 

 

Buttermere (O-9 gauge) by  Bill Flude

In the Lake District. the Buttermere Mining Company extracted copper bearing ores from three underground mines. The mining company built an 18” gauge line in 1895 to carry the ore from the mines to Cockermouth, 10 miles away. The line was originally worked by steam locomotives but internal combustion locos were introduced in the 1930s. After the World War 2 the diesel power completely replaced steam. Enthusiasts had restored a couple of steam locos and these could occasionally be seen giving rides to tourists. The scale was 7 mm/ foot and the gauge was 9 mm. Control was by a Digitrax DCC system with wireless throttles. Dimensions are 5 x 2 ft. Also featured in the lineside shelter was a bronze Dalek made from a novelty keyring, which set the pace for a number of Doctor Who references around the exhibition.In the Lake District. the Buttermere Mining Company extracted copper bearing ores from three underground mines.  The mining company built an 18” gauge line in 1895 to carry the ore from the mines to Cockermouth, 10 miles away. The line was originally worked by steam locomotives but internal combustion locos were introduced in the 1930s.  After the World War 2 the diesel power completely replaced steam.  Enthusiasts had restored a couple of steam locos and these could occasionally be seen giving rides to tourists. The scale was 7 mm/ foot and the gauge was 9 mm. Control was by a Digitrax DCC system with wireless throttles. Dimensions are 5 x 2 ft.  Also featured in the lineside shelter was a bronze Dalek made from a novelty keyring, which set the pace for a number of Doctor Who references around the exhibition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hobbiton End (5 mm scale gauge) by Simon Addelsee

A few technically minded Dwarfs in the Blue Mountains have developed Middle Earth’s first steam locomotives and a railway to link their mines to other communities. The Hobbits were not keen on the technology at first but they are now accepting it, especially as it brings in new supplies of pipe weed and wine. When visiting Hobbiton End, look out for the town band on the platform, the cool store dug into the rockface and the memorial built to Frodo Baggins, the ring bearer himself. It measures 8 x 2 ft.A few technically minded Dwarfs in the Blue Mountains developed Middle Earth’s first steam locomotives and a railway to link their mines to other communities. The Hobbits were not keen on the technology at first but they are now accepting it, especially as it brings in new supplies of pipe weed and wine. At Hobbiton End, there was a town band on the platform, a cool store dug into the rockface and a memorial built to Frodo Baggins, the ring bearer himself. The layout measured 8 x 2 ft.  I particularly liked this layout not only for its original choice of subject matter but because I myself resemble the wizard Gandalf The Grey on my visits to supermarket self service aisles.  My reusable cloth containers often become an unexpected item in the Baggins Area.

 

 

 

 

Barnwood Halt (OO gauge) by Barnwood MRC

This layout for children to operate measured 6 x 4 ft. There are two loops with a single siding off the inner loop. It has a church, a small village street and scenic hills. Two controllers at the front allow the public to operate the trains, often comprising two modern Hornby 0-4-0 steam locos with short 4 wheel carriages. Visit the club’s website for details of club nights at St Lawrence church. New members are always welcome.This layout for children to operate measured 6 x 4 ft. There are two loops with a single siding off the inner loop. It has a church, a small village street and scenic hills. Two controllers at the front allow the public to operate the trains, often comprising two modern Hornby 0-4-0 steam locos with short 4 wheel carriages. Visit the club’s website for details of club nights at St Lawrence church. New members are always welcome.  Pictured is Great Western 0-6-0PT 2744, a member of the 2721 Class built at Swindon in 1899 to Lot Number 115. and entering traffic allocated to Bristol in April of that year.  The Pannier Tank’s last Great Western shed was Croes Newydd and it was withdrawn from Shrewsbury in November 1950.

 

 

 

 

 

Bishopsmead (OO gauge) by Ted Olney

  Set in the mid-1930s, this busy terminus is located ‘somewhere’ on the Western/Central Division of the LMS. It is a popular leisure destination which necessitates many passenger trains including the odd excursion from other companies. Trains from the Smallcombe branch terminate or reverse here. There is also a connection to the industrial area of Bishopsmead. Stock is a mix of kit, modified kit, scratch-built and the odd extensively modified proprietary item. Buildings are also kit, modified kit or scratch-built. Scenery is from Woodland Scenics and the like. The operating sequence is both plausible and intense. So take this opportunity to witness some finescale LMS trains in glorious crimson lake livery. Dimensions are 12 ft 6 in x 9 ft 6 in.Set in the mid-1930s, this busy terminus was located ‘somewhere’ on the Western/Central Division of the LMS. It was a popular leisure destination which necessitated many passenger trains including the odd excursion from other companies. Trains from the Smallcombe branch terminated or reversed here. There was also a connection to the industrial area of Bishopsmead. Stock was a mix of kit, modified kit, scratch-built and the odd extensively modified proprietary item. Buildings were also kit, modified kit or scratch-built. Scenery was from Woodland Scenics and the like. The operating sequence was both plausible and intense with the opportunity to witness some finescale LMS trains in glorious crimson lake livery. Dimensions were 12 ft 6 in x 9 ft 6 in.

 

 

Colford (OO gauge)  by Rob Mills

 Coleford, surprisingly for an isolated market town, had two railway stations. The Severn and Wye Railway wound its way up from Lydney, arriving in 1875, and it is this station which formed the basis of the model. Passenger traffic on the S&W ceased in 1929, but the line remained open until 1967 with dispatches of free miners’coal, and daily ballast trains from Whitecliff Quarry, and receipts of general goods and household coal. The model was based closely on Coleford and assumed that passenger services continued until closure of the line. Among the rolling stock on show was a four wheeled Berry Wiggins tank wagon of the type that once plied between Whimsey in the Forest of Dean and the company's main depot at Hoo in Kent, which in 1970 was the setting for the Doctor Who story "Inferno". As a result millions of viewers saw Berry Wiggins railway wagons, tanker lorries ( with the ergonomic cabs of the era ) and storage tanks as the third Dr Who - Jon Pertwee- his glamorous assistant Liz Shaw ( played by Caroline Johns ) and such United Nations Intelligence Task Force members as Brigadier Alastair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart ( Nicholas Courtenay ) and Sergeant Benton ( John Levine ) battled Primords, hairy green human mutants created by a scheme to drill through the Earth’s crust to release energy.Coleford, surprisingly for an isolated market town, had two railway stations. The Severn and Wye Railway wound its way up from Lydney, arriving in 1875, and it is this station which formed the basis of the model. Passenger traffic on the S&W ceased in 1929, but the line remained open until 1967 with dispatches of free miners’coal, and daily ballast trains from Whitecliff Quarry, and receipts of general goods and household coal. The model was based closely on Coleford and assumed that passenger services continued until closure of the line.  Among the rolling stock on show was a four wheeled Berry Wiggins tank wagon of the type that once plied between Whimsey in the Forest of Dean and the company’s main depot at Hoo in Kent, which in 1970 was the setting for the Doctor Who story “Inferno”.  As a result millions of viewers saw Berry Wiggins railway wagons, tanker lorries ( with the ergonomic cabs of the era ) and storage tanks as the third Dr Who – Jon Pertwee- his glamorous assistant Liz Shaw ( played by Caroline Johns ) and such United Nations Intelligence Task Force members as Brigadier Alastair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart ( Nicholas Courtenay ) and Sergeant Benton ( John Levine ) battled Primords, hairy green human mutants created by a scheme to drill through the Earth’s crust to release energy.

 

 

 

Elderdyke for Clogger (OO gauge) by Eddie Whitlock

This is a station that was proposed but never built, located on a direct line between Driffield and Scarborough which would have been part of the North Eastern Railway. The line is single through the station but with a bay and sidings to serve the Clogger branch which is notable for its vegetable traffic. There is also a siding to Moore’s printing works which supposedly supplied the government with Ration Books during the Second World War. The era modelled is ca 1946 during transition between the old and new LNER locomotive numbering systems. Dimensions are 20 ft x 2 ft.This was a station that was proposed but never built, located on a direct line between Driffield and Scarborough which would have been part of the North Eastern Railway. The line was single through the station but with a bay and sidings to serve the Clogger branch which was notable for its vegetable traffic. There was also a siding to Moore’s printing works which supposedly supplied the government with Ration Books during the Second World War. The era modelled was circa 1946 during transition between the old and new LNER locomotive numbering systems. Dimensions were 20 ft x 2 ft.

 

 

 

Barrack Way (N gauge) by Dave & Rene Lear

This was the latest in a series of half a dozen N gauge layouts owned by Dave and Rene. The Army camp was nowhere in particular. Tanks were transloaded close to soldiers on manoeuvres with tanks and guns. There were five blocks of flats to accommodate solders, along with houses for the officers and shops. Dimensions were 8 ft x 4 ft.This was the latest in a series of half a dozen N gauge layouts owned by Dave and Rene. The Army camp was nowhere in particular. Tanks were transloaded close to soldiers on manoeuvres with tanks and guns. There were five blocks of flats to accommodate solders, along with houses for the officers and shops as well as a diesel locomotive depot parallel to the Nissen huts. Dimensions were 8 ft x 4 ft.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Castlederg (OOn3 gauge) by Andy Cundick

Set in County Tyrone, this layout depicts the real terminus of the Castlederg and Victoria Bridge Tramway. This was built in 1884 as a 3 ft roadside tramway to connect Castlederg with the Great Northern station seven miles away at Victoria Bridge. It closed in 1933 following a strike by railway workers. With one exception, the locomotives are scratch-built. All the rolling stock is built from Worsley Works kits. I am also looking forward to see Andy's superb model of the Castlederg and Victoria Bridge Tramway's paraffin fuelled Fordson railcar. The layout measures 12 x 2 ft.Set in County Tyrone, this layout depicted the real terminus of the Castlederg and Victoria Bridge Tramway. This was built in 1884 as a 3 ft roadside tramway to connect Castlederg with the Great Northern station seven miles away at Victoria Bridge. It closed in 1933 following a strike by railway workers but before then featured locomotives with tram skirting and markings on one side only to save money as they were never turned. With one exception, the model locomotives on the layout were scratch-built. All the rolling stock was built from Worsley Works kits including Andy’s superb model of the Castlederg and Victoria Bridge Tramway’s All Irish paraffin fuelled Fordson railcar. The layout measured 12 x 2 ft.

 

 

 

 

Goes Like A Rocket ( 009 Gauge 4mm scale) by Alan Drewett

The six Grumman Lunar Modules - originally termed Lunar Excursion Modules by NASA and often referred to as LEMs - that they used were all slightly different from each other and so the left hand side of my lunar diorama was an attempt to portray the typical equipment of an early Apollo (H-Class) Moon landing rather than replicate a specific mission down to the last footprint in the dust.Goes like a Rocket is a presentation I have developed on space and rocketry which will be on the Gloucestershire model engineering show circuit – and maybe even beyond – during  2016.  It is based on four core diorama boxes – the first featuring rocket firing  Sherman Calliope tanks on the banks of the River Rhine close to a narrow gauge railway – each containing 4mm scale models and some larger models, mainly at a scale of 1/144.  These tell the story of rocketry and space from the earliest solid rocket artillery to the Apollo Moon Landings via Werner von Braun’s V2 and rocket weapons of the Cold War such as the locally produced Bristol Bloodhound and its opposite number, the SAM-2

Pictured here is the Moon landing diorama complete with Grumman Apollo Lunar Excursion Module, astronauts and surface experiments.  I was also very pleased to be joined on this occasion by Ryan Wheatstone of the Jet Age Museum and John Barnfield of the International Plastic Modelling Society Gloucester Branch with their splendidly constructed additional rocket and spacecraft models, including Redstone and Atlas boosters for Project Mercury capsules and a 1/48 scale Bachem Natter complete with launch tower.  Thank you both gentlemen, it was a pleasure to enjoy your erudite company.

 

 

Aldbourne (OO9 gauge) by Adrian Ponting

Set in the early 20th century and inspired by the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway, Aldbourne is a fictitious narrow gauge railway terminus in Wiltshire. It links Ramsbury and Aldbourne to the standard gauge railways at Marlborough. The track plan and buildings are typical of those found on a small railway but are not based on any particular prototypes. The viaduct, however, was inspired by the one at Lancey Brook on the L&BR. The halt by the viaduct serves the hamlet of Whittinditch, in reality some 2.5 miles from Aldbourne. Dimensions are 15 ft x 1 ft 6 in.Set in the early 20th century and inspired by the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway, Aldbourne was a fictitious narrow gauge railway terminus in Wiltshire. The narrow gauge line linked Ramsbury and Aldbourne to the standard gauge railways at Marlborough. The track plan and buildings were typical of those found on a small railway but are not based on any particular prototypes. The viaduct, however, was inspired by the one at Lancey Brook on the L&BR. The halt by the viaduct served the hamlet of Whittinditch, in reality some 2.5 miles from Aldbourne. Dimensions were 15 ft x 1 ft 6 in.  In 1971 Doctor Who viewers were able to see the real Wiltshire village of Aldbourne represent the fictional village of Devil’s End in the five part story “The Daemons” featuring Jon Pertwee’s Doctor alongside Katy Manning as his assistant Jo Grant, Roger Delgado as The Master and Nicholas Courtney as Brigadier Alastair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart.  It was in “The Daemons” that the Brigadier gave his famous command “Chap with wings, five rounds rapid fire!” and some viewers complained when a model of the village church was blown up at the end of the story – such was the realism of the effect.   Aldbourne later appeared in a BBC TV adaptation of Charles Dicken’s “Great Expectations” and its residents – known as Dabchicks – have included TV wildlife presenter Johnny Morris and glamour model turned TV presenter Melinda Messenger.

 

 

St Frazalet d’Ardeche (Nm gauge)  by  Simon Newitt

This was the latest in a series of half a dozen N gauge layouts owned by Dave and Rene. The Army camp was nowhere in particular. Tanks were transloaded close to soldiers on manoeuvres with tanks and guns. There were five blocks of flats to accommodate solders, along with houses for the officers and shops. Dimensions were 8 ft x 4 ft.This metre gauge layout had a fictitious location based on the Chemin de Fer du Vivrais in the Ardeche Department of South East France.  Most of that system was closed in 1968 but parts have been preserved as the Chemin de Fer du Vivrais and the Vois Feree du Veloy tourist lines.  This means that it is still possible to visit France to see and ride on a metre gauge diesel railcar bearing the initials CFV on its engine grille, although the tourist line did miss a trick in July 2014 by not offering the newly created Mrs Cheryl Fernandez Versini free membership.  Sadly the former Girls Aloud singer has now split from her French husband and is now unlikely to volunteer on or even visit the line, although the connection between Girls Aloud and railways is maintained on my new layout Runport St Nicola.  Simon’s 8’x2′ layout meanwhile featured buildings from a mixture of plastic kits and 3D printing and locomotives and rolling stock with 3D printed bodies on Marklin or Japanese Z gauge chassis.  The 6.5mm gauge track was the excellent Rokuhan plug and play system with power operated self isolating points.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gloucester Model Railway Club

The club meets at Elmscroft Community Centre on Monday evenings from 1930. Its clubroom is the legacy of the late Reverend Wilbert Vere Awdry, author of the Thomas The Tank Engine books. The club owns layouts in gauges from N to O, often exhibited at the Cotswold Model Railway Show which the club helps run. Please search online for further details or telephone Club Secretary Nigel Bray (pictured) on 01452 501986.The club meets at Elmscroft Community Centre on Monday evenings  from 1930.  Its clubroom is the legacy of the late Reverend Wilbert Vere Awdry, author of the Thomas The Tank Engine books.  The club owns layouts in gauges from N to O, often exhibited at the Cotswold Model Railway Show which the club helps run.  Please search online for further details or telephone Club Secretary Nigel Bray (pictured) on 01452 501986.

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