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The bi-annual Cheltenham show is on this weekend at St. Margaret's Hall, Coniston Road, Hatherley, Cheltenham, GL51 3NU Saturday 6th April 2024 - 10am to 5pm Sunday 7th April 2024 - 10am to 4.30pm The following layouts are booked to attend: Apple Lane Mk II OO Castle Wharf Kendal OO9 Elin Bach Slate Quarry Co Farr End Frampton P4 Halfpenny Green OO Kings Lane OO Marsh End OO Pen-y-Bont Fawr OO Penmaenbach OO Severnside Steel O Shwt EM Swanish EM Thomas OO Three Acres TT There is trade and demo's too and refreshments are available (home made cake...) The venue is accessible for visitors with disabilities Admission: £6 adults, £2 children £12 family (2 adults + 2 children under 14 years) CASH ONLY For more information please follow the link to the Cheltmodrail website. This has more information on the layouts, trade and demo's.

What a fab show, a really good mix of high quality layouts, quite a lot of finescale (2mm and 4mm). It was very busy this morning, i'm not sure the venue was suited to this sort of thing, It was especially crowded in some of the classrooms but much better in the large sportshall. Definitely worth a trip to see on Sunday if your in the area. A big thanks to ADMRC for putting this on, top job.

Nice video @Rhysb now I'm left wondering just how much can a Cavalex 56 haul either on the level or on a slope? 56 + 24 PTA + 15 JHA + 10 BBA/BLA ?? 🤔

RO - Round Oak (Brierley Hill, West Midlands)

Taken at the recent Cheltenham exhibtion. 'Hartburn' by Ian Manderson Llanteulyddog - from Paul and Jon at CLAPHAM modellers

several folk have either converted the Jouef HO model by sticking two together or scratchbuilding them various articles have been published over the years on this in the modelling press

"Nothing in it for me" seems to be a standard reponse to new annoucnements these days.... ;)

I asked Fran at Ally Pally earlier this year if anything big, yellow and Network Rail is on the cards and he said 'no'. My monies on a steam loco or a unit, lots of big gaps.

Afternoon Gents, @nigb55009 many thanks for the info - much appreciated. 👍 apologies for the confusion in mixing up imperial and metric equivalents, i really should know better! The boards I have are 1200mm x 400mm which equates to (approx) 4' x 15.75" @Joseph_Pestell yes, its a cracking design IMHO and shows that part of a mainline station can be built in a relatively small footprint, the operational interest comes in stopping services, through frieght, crew changes and units terminating in a bay platform.

Hello, Does anyone know if the layout Nottingham (London Road) in OO gauge appeared in the modelling press? There's a youtube video here recorded by AndyP of this parish and another here by I believe, its creator Simon Lawson. I have very vague recollections of it featured on a previous incarnation of RMweb some time ago. I've searched WoR, KeyPublishing, Pocketmags, the magazine back issue page etc. but couldn't find anything. I'd use Waybackmachine but without a url I've nothing to go on; so any other info and photos would be appreciated. I rather like the track plan/arrangement and am wondering how wide the layout was/is? My current ideas are to remove the two through roads and see if it would fit in on a 600mm (~16") wide board... Rgds Rich.

its going to look seriously epic Phil and worth all the hard work. that last shot looking down the layout will be the video shot - trains in the garden, sunny day, video cameras out as a freight slowly makes it way towards you. Will look great 👍

I'm always surprised the various builds of polybulk haven't been chosen by the Barwell team. The green one (diagram E442 built Fauvet Girel 1974) and the SMD one (diagram E538 built CFMF 1983) or the one Bachmann really missed, diagram E518, the long green one. see here on Paul Barletts excellent site - https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/grainpolybulk Plenty of variety and liveries to go for. Ironically not my era but interesting to make.

Does the bodyside of the scottish malt distillers polybulk (PIA - 33 70 9280-xx) diagram E538 taper inwards at the ends? I am looking to build some in 4mm. From drawings of the green 'grainflow' / 'polybulk' wagons to diagram E518, they definately have a taper at the ends. See Rail Express #108 May 2005 for drawings. Here's a photo from the John Turner - 53A models of Hull collection - I have identified the last 'panel' of the wagon in the photo below but I can't tell whether it tapers or not.

Not really a sign but on a wall in Kyrgyzstan

With a week to go to the exhibition here's a couple of photos of New Sodbury from the Thornbury and South Gloucestershire MRC. If the modern scene is your thing please come by and say hello. Its properly signalled with by-directional working (that should keep us on our toes..). Second photo credit M Wardrobe.

Great news Cav and Alex, that was kept quiet! Nice choice, type 5 motive power is a favourite 👍 I guess you have the EP under construction already......😉 i

But where are the spare TT wheelsets? I thought the same, dip my toes by getting a Hornby TT120 class 66 and either buy a continental modern wagon to assess the scale or scratchbuild/3D print something with a UK outline - but there's no equivalent Alan Gibson 12mm plain disc wheelsets, so where does it leave the scratchbuilding/kitbashing enthusiast? I searched for Tillig wheels but struggled to find any and what was available was too expensive IMHO. Accurascale have said "no" and unless RevolutioN shrink the TEA, MMA/JNA or Cavalex the steel BBA chassis and its variants there's going to quite a wait for something decent for the 66 to pull. I'll get bored waiting for something for my TT 1:120 66 to pull and revert back to 4mm. For me the thrill of initial announcement has been tempered somewhat, unless more manufacturers come onboard there's a real danger this will stall in the medium term. I am dead keen to see this work, it offers the chance to build a 4mm equivalent layout with 36% added area or conversely reduce the footprint required to build a 4mm equivalent plank/cameo. Good luck to team SK - you'll need it.

Only got chance to have a quick look around yesterday, Gordon and Maggie Gravett are there with Arun Quay - well worth a look.

Dastardly Complex circuitry 😉

Hi Benjamin Did Richard @Portsmouth give you any details on how the WIA car carrier was built? Did you get the chance to take any other photos of it? I've looked into scratchbuilding the WIA but the tiny bogies and small diameter wheelsets required have put me off. There is a good drawing in the John Fox wagon book. I saw WH at the Stafford show a few years ago, i was blown away, not with the cotton wool smoke trails from the Red Arrows but the pendo's, voyagers and intermodals racing past. Top stuff. The only other contemporary OHLE main line I've seen thats similar is Pete Waterman's making tracks layout at GETS although I'm sure there's others. Cheers Rich.

Hi Benjamin Is that a scratchbuilt/kit built WIA car carrier running behind the EWS 60 in the penultimate photo above? Its a very nice layout btw, not often you see OHLE main lines. Looking forward to seeing it again at Redditch.

A very good choice gentlemen, my home-made effort can now be WNXX.

Many thanks Team Accurascale, lovely wagons and announced just as I was considering cutting up and converting my Bachmann HTA wagons... The detail and finish is excellent, really pleased 👍 Now how about those GBRf Tanoos big white ones too? Perhaps another one for next years 'powering Britain' theme?

Morning Gents, Many thanks for all your considered and thoughtful responses, there's many comments above that resonate and i agree with. I think that if the right opportunity arises in Q1/2022 then I'll go for it. Nothing ventured nothing gained eh? As someone once told me, "this ain't a dress rehearsal..." I'm fortunate that I'm 2/3 way through my working career and so top dollars and the accompanying stress/job headaches/working away from home etc., are no longer important to me, but..... There is an engineering contractor that I've been in touch with and they are looking for people to work on a project starting next year. The downside is that its a much longer commute so i'll pose that question for another wheeltapers thread. >>And get yourself a hobby that requires some thought. Dave, I am in the middle of laying track and then wiring my new layout, so that should keep the grey matter occupied over the festive period!