David Bigcheeseplant

I was on the ticket desk at Railex last week entry was £10 nobody I served mentioned anything about the price and was quite happy to tap the credit card. Maybe we did set the price too low this year. David

How about Western Emperor at Aylesbury on one in 1965

I can't really take any credit for this year, As I passed the exhibition manager mantle over to Tim Peacock who with al the challenge's thrown at him managed to put on an excellent show. Being an exhibition minion this time, I had various jobs to do like car parking, ticket sales etc. I did draw up the floor plan prior to the show and on Friday set up changed a few things around for the better I hope. We have a meeting on Friday to discuss how the show went, if you have any comments that would make things better it would be good to hear. David

You can park in the green area the cameras have been switched off so there is no two hour time limit. The red area is our overspill car park.

Here is the bus time table, the Green vintage routemaster will depart Aylesbury railway station car park.

They will be at RAILEX this weekend http://www.railex.org.uk/

Attached is the floor plan and numbers for Railex.

With only a few weeks to this years show, we are sorting out the final details. The café will be available for Railex visitors in the main stadium, plus there is an outside seating area directly outside our hall. We have had to squeeze the gangways down to 7 feet so the show may not feel as spacious as in previous years but we still think we have got a great show on offer. We will post up our vintage bus timetable as soon as we know the train times which is dependent on the FA cup play offs. We have some new traders on board this year, including Squires, WWW scenics, Premo, Prickley Pear, Stoneybridge Models, Brushes 4 Models, Dingo & Servo Mounts

That's something that would not have kept the show afloat.

Due to Covid and last years double booking this will be the first Railex since 2019 and we were keen to make sure Railex happened this year, we had the floor plan done in the original hall space and final letters were just about to send out final detail packs when we had the news last Thursday, to say it was a problem a few weeks before the show would be a understatement! We spent last Saturday measuring out the floor and working out how we can put the show on, but we think in a few days have managed to do the best we can and still have a fantastic show with only two layouts less than we originally planned.

These are photos of the bowls hall we are using for this years Railex, the floor is rather nice under foot. David

Last week, we were informed the sports hall we usually use for the exhibition will not be available owing to the floor being replaced over a 2 month period commencing April 24th. We will now be holding the exhibition in the adjacent Indoor Bowls Hall. This is slightly smaller and we have worked hard over the last week to rearrange the floor plan to accommodate our booked layouts and Traders. Regrettably it has not been possible to include everybody and we have had to withdraw invitations to Beijiao by Paul Stapleton and James Street by Steve Wright. We are grateful to both for their understanding in this unfortunate situation forced on us by circumstances beyond our control. Both layouts have been invited to attend in 2024. As you can imagine the change of hall just a few weeks before the show is not want we planned but it was either use this alternative hall or cancel, but with adverts and diary dates having been published in magazines we decided to rearrange using the alternative space that was offered. The bowls area is not one level space and is slightly raised around the perimeter on four sides which we are using to view the layouts from with the traders located in the centre area of the hall. James Street requires viewing on four sides which we would not be able to achieve with the way we have had to arrange the hall. After last year when the stadium double booked us and we had to cancel, we thought we were back to normal but with the spanner in the work this year with the change of hall forced on us on, we still have a great show on offer with all the Railex brand values you would expect. David

I noticed the window was missing to the lamp/store room, it is not on the original plans either, but as a later addition was matched in quite well. The attached photo shows the station after closure and demolition of the overall roof. yes the tree is still there, but the post box has gone.

Sometimes the obvious stares you in the face, I was looking for other clues rather than a chalked date! The station building shot does not seem to show the footbridge unless it was hidden by the building which was put up in 1891 but the fashions look much later than that.

I came across these early photos of Thame station and wonder if anyone can give an idea on date at first I thought they were 1920s but have a feeling they might be earlier as the wagon has number plates which would date it between 1894 to 1913 plus there is still bulk road on the running lines. They might not be taken on the same date anyway as the staff photo looks more 1920 fashion. David

For some reason the photos of Charwelton in the 80s and Oldshaw seem to have been transposed on the Railex and Expo EM show previews.

Due to the new entrance we are still trying to work out logistics for selling tickets prior to opening. Wild Swan books is unable to attend this year. David

Is the café still doing the cooked breakfast? I am not sure, the café management has changed since we last did the show, which probably means that what we tell them to expect on numbers that they are never prepared on the day. Our layout exhibitors lunches and eating area has had to be adjusted this year too. I am sure there will be a meeting before the show so maybe I can advise what will be on offer closer to the weekend.

295 is at the printers at the moment.

Does the change to the access point have any implications on the catering arrangements ? Ray I think there will still be exit out of the main hall in to the catering area using the original entrance exit. The stadium want to avoid any congestion with the users of the gym and swimming pool on the front counter, hence we need to have our entrance in a different place.

Will there be versions with or without luggage end windows.

What is the differences between No. 1 and the other members of the class.

Here is 69804 with the 3 rail coal rails.

I have just noticed that all versions have 5 coal rails each side of the bunker although by the BR period these were reduced to 3 each side. David

We have a vintage bus running again from Aylesbury Railway station to the stadium on both days. I have just been working up the floor plan and everything fits! A slight change this year we are unable to use the main entrance door in to the hall as we have in the past so entry will be at a side entrance directly into the exhibition but be well sign posted on the day.