Back from the Nottingham show weekend with another bit of silver (platted!) ware for the cabinet - and is little Iz happy about that! A very enjoyable weekend although don't think I was this tired after I ran the London Marathon (OK, that was a good few years ago but does beg the question about whether I should do it again while there is still half a chance I would finish alive!). Anyway, well organised show, with a great variety of exhibits and traders, very spread out though in a huge school (not their location of choice and hopefully back to one big hall next year), but this sort of added to the character. We were up on the stage which was great for an exhibitionist like myself but turned out to be the hottest place in the show so dehydration was a real possibility. Perhaps the very helpful stewards should have been handing out isotonic drinks just like on the marathon!

So, to the trophy - had not met this system before, but as I am an exhibition (almost) virgin, this might not be unusual, but you entered yourself (yes I have just realised what I have written in my no pun intended, very tired, very late and slightly wine fuel state!), for various categories and then you were judged on these. Now, some of these categories were a non starter - i.e. I am not 4mm and I have no need for signals but scratch built buildings seemed ideal, so just put myself forward for the one category and won! And now, I am classed among some demi-gods! Other names on the trophy are; Gordon Gravett, Geoff Kent, Bob Barlow, and Barry Norman! OK, am sure it is the wine fueled state that is talking here still.....

On the whole the layout operated very well over the weekend and was very well received, there is a snagging list, of course and will go into this soon. One funny moment was when a small child got very upset when she couldn't get a turn at operating the layout as she saw little Iz doing a great job running trains and thought it was a Thomas style have a go sort of thing. My comment to the Father that if he built a layout she could run it didn't seem to go down too well! Latter on when it did get a bit quieter I did let several children have a go though, and this went down much better and they picked things up remarkably quickly which was fun for everyone!

It was really nice that several people asked if it was OK to take photographs and some even to ask is it was OK to use flash rather than to just blind us unexpectedly! Going into the dungeon though is the chap who moaned about me getting in the way of his lengthy video because I had the cheek to check that a loco was coupled properly which involved walking in front of him and not being invisible! My message to him is to get the June issue of British Railway Modeling and you will see what a proper video looks like! Whoops! a small cat may have been let out if a bag there!

Half of project X went beautifully and the other half almost so (a blog to do them justice will come soon), and apart from a mysterious DCC meltdown at the very end of the second day all ran very smoothly.

So the trophy;

As usual,I didn't take a single photo (too busy!), of the layout in its full 21 foot glory but my Lovely Louise got this one of the trophy and my bald patch - she did get one of MY bald patch but that seems to have been mysteriously deleted, but of the new fiddle yard and an area just crying out to be scenified - next trip out is 7mm Narrow Gauge Association at Burton 13th June so hope to have this sorted by then.