Persephone

Its the only way we could fit it in In reality although the file is the right way round on my PC, butb as soon as I import it, it goes sideways - a severe case of other priorities (Chiefly setting up the Oldham Beer Festival, also on this weekend - talk about divided loyalties - and where I will be serving behind the bar from noon tomorrow) means I have given up trying to right the wrong

Featuring at the show: Harkness by Tony Bucknell

Featuring at the show, Hebble Vale Goods by Karl Crowther (Rochdale MRG)

I had a long chat with Richard on the Dapol stand at Ally Pally on Saturday. He pointed out it was an EP and that the glaring errors on the tumblehome, the etched grille and some roofline issues were already being sorted - he was fairly confident of a December issue although put the usual disclaimer with it! I had hold of one, and one of the things we chatted about was conversion to EM (or P4 for that matter). There's plenty of room between the bogies to do a conversion without having to resort to the scalpel to shave plastic off - the wheels are spoked as per the original so in that respect unless someone produces a set (Possibly unlikely given Ultrascale's reluctance with the 22) then its either a wheelpull or make your own. Having already converted a Dapol 122 using just a wheelpuller - https://newheymodelrailway.wordpress.com/2017/08/18/another-convert-to-the-cause/ - I'm pretty confident of this option.

Appearing at the show, Crawton by Steve Saxby. picture by Chris Nevard

Closing time. As a former exhibition manager of a large show that closed at 6 when I first took it on I was constantly gripped by traders and some layouts about why they were hanging around till 6pm when there were only a few die hards left in the hall, none of whom were buying anything. In fact most shows start to die away by 4pm as people beetle off home for their meals, nights out etc etc. As pointed out already this show opens at 09:30 - most shows open at ten so that means putting extra time in at the front of the day - another hour on top of that and the exhibitors, traders and organisers would be climbing the walls. There may be a duty on the organisers to put a show on to the public but theres equally a duty to look after the people who work these shows, and to be honest Ally Pally has struck the right balance with this. As for the show, it was excellent, Some exceptionally good layouts this year, no names n pack drill but Kensington Addison Road blew me away, that is quality 7mm modelling at its best. Yes there may be a lot of box shifters but there's a lot of other traders who cover most bases as well - the bits and bobs needed for completion of my layout were easily obtained. As an exhibitor its well run, well organised, and always a pleasure to bring a layout there.

Appearing at this years show: Chris Nevard's Fountain Colliery

The 54th Rochdale MRG Model Railway Exhibition Sat 7th April – Sun 8th April 2018 The Coach House, Lodge Street, Littleborough, Lancashire OL15 9AE OPENING TIMES: SAT 10am-4.30pm, SUN 10am-4.30pm ADMISSION: Adults £3.00; Accompanied Under 16s FREE Once again we will be holding our annual show at the Coach House Littleborough. The accent is on quality modelling in a relaxed and convivial atmosphere. We run a small show with a bit bit of a back to the good old days feel about it but with good, well modelled layouts. Simple food and drinks available and there are many other good watering holes in the vicinity including the Good Beer Guide listed Red Lion. 8 layouts are attending: ENIGMA ENGINEERING P4 CRAWTON OO AMALGAMATED WAGON WORKS O gauge FOUNTAIN COLLIERY OO (Chris Nevard's latest Micro) ARCADIA PENN TERMINAL US O HEBBLE VALE EM HARKNESS EM EASINGWOLD EAST EM As are: Todmorden Model Supplies The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Society The Class 40 Preservation society

As you ask: The 54th Rochdale MRG Model Railway Exhibition Sat 7th April – Sun 8th April 2018 The Coach House, Lodge Street, Littleborough, Lancashire OL15 9AE OPENING TIMES: SAT 10am-4.30pm, SUN 10am-4.30pm ADMISSION: Adults £3.00; Accompanied Under 16s FREE

I've done some research how people find out about our small show and to be frank RM Web does not score. The magazines and local publicity do.

Our club members are to put it mildly somewhat bemused by this. OK we might miss one or two visitors as a result of it, and its certainly not worth us paying £30 plus VAT for it. On the other hand its going to cost BRM some sales as members cease to buy the magazine as a result. A classic case of shooting yourself in the foot by BRM.

Did anyone spot this at the very beginning of episode 1? The sequence and the on train shots was filmed on the ELR and involved topped and tailed Class 40s, 135 and 145 on 16 October. I should have been working Townsend Fold signal box that day but was stood down the night before as they only wanted to go down as far as Irwell Vale. Knowing what was happening I beetled off with the camera at lunchtime only to find the train empty - the cast had remained in "refreshment facilities" in Ramsbottom, and only the camera crew were on board for the external shots.

Unfortunately despite the lack of white stuff there, the glut of white stuff here means I wont be visiting today as planned ;-(

With all due respect the siting of a table advertising other shows is the very last thing on the Exhibition Managers mind!

At least get your facts correct before slinging the arrows - the show closed at 4:00 pm. For what its worth the show offered a good solid offering of decent layouts as always. OK the trade may not have been what it used to be but bear in mind that the club are coming back after a year in which they were forced out of their home by flood damage and couldn't run a show last year. That has a severe knock on effect for the exhibition, particularly as far as trade goes. I ask myself at this point whats more important for people - spending money or looking a good layouts - if the former then indeed that is the mark of a shallow individual. There wasnt much padding here in layout terms as far as I could see.

This may be useful if you are considering doing a quick and easy conversion to EM: https://newheymodelrailway.wordpress.com/2017/08/18/another-convert-to-the-cause/

I personally find it easier to file off a plastic roof moulding, be it a chimney or a ventilator, and make a neat job of it, than actually fabricate and add one. Its worth considering looking at that design element again.

Split axle, the axles look to have enough meat on to pull the wheels out, plus it rather looks like there is no need for any plastic butchery for clearance.On the negative side the wheels are a bit wider than should be and it may be a case of proceeding as I did with my Heljan DPU, making the BTB a midges dick less than 16.5mm, which worked a treat when wheel pulling.

Its my understanding ( direct from Maggie) that Pempouls last show is at Railex.

I just don't understand this not enough this, not enough that, its a general show and has to have something to please everyone so get over it. Now Im no fan of American layouts generally but in my eyes the best layout in show was Prospect Point, it was stunning modelling plus always something happening. As for the FREEMO layout it was clear there were problems on Saturday but by Sunday it was running well and with a fair bit of action, and on that lovely modelled mine branch as well ;-) . The main thing is that the guys on the layout were obviously trying their best to sort out and rectify the problems, and you could see that plainly. Which is more than can be said for another layout which will remain nameless but all the show was having problems with a feed on an exit point from the fiddle yard (on the scenic section), but the operating crew did naff all to repair it all weekend, constantly relying on the big hand in the sky to push locos over the dead spot from Saturday morning to Sunday afternoon. That to me is out of order, its not that hard to buzz out the feed wires to detect the fault and the make it good. I enjoyed the show - there might have been three that wowed me and a couple of layouts that IMHO I didn't think deserved their place at a premier league show, but for what the show is, a big generalist exhibition, it pressed the right buttons.

Clearly DJM / Hattons have been consulting no less authority than the Rev W Awdrey in the design of this model.