expoEM Spring 2019

[Compound2632]

Dave, your comments are no more than I expected or deserve - as I said I appreciate that stock will represent the tastes of those involved. Indeed I didn't raise my doubts with the operators - though I was itching to ask whether the Class A 0-8-0 is scratch-built or adapted from the LRM kit for the C/C1. On a layout of the complexity of Hope-under-Dinmore, the operators are of necessity focused on operating, making it difficult to engage in detailed conversation. At least that's what I find, though perhaps I'm more diffident in talking to strangers than some - I find it easier to organise my thoughts in writing. I was admiring the Super D on the PW train and being aware of your 1904-1920 time-frame was not unduly perturbed by it. At root is the philosophical question: what is the purpose of the layout? 

 

I'll bear the Newbury show in mind. 

 

 

[ullypug]

Catching up on household chores after a very enjoyable but tiring weekend at Expo EM Spring. I had a great time and certainly made some new friends. 

Thanks to everyone who came along. Judging by the comments I had, people seemed to enjoy themselves. One or two gave feedback which we're always happy to receive if it helps makes things a little better next time.

The PECO plain track turned up on Saturday lunchtime and had all been sold by Sunday afternoon. It was a shame that the turnouts didn't quite make it but the tools look fantastic and it won't be too long now. They'll certainly be ready for Expo Autumn in September, he says confidently but without any sort of authority!

Events at Stamford were in most peoples' minds and there was a real sense of shock and sympathy in the hall. It has been a tragic event but isn't it great how the world wide modelling and non-modelling community has responded? 

 

 

[A4CML]

20 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

I greatly enjoyed this year's show, as I have every year I've been; as always nothing but top quality layouts on display. I'm very lucky to have such a show taking place only 15 minutes' drive away. 

 

I spent several hours at the show on Saturday and went back for an hour or so this afternoon, primarily to spend longer watching Hope-under-Dinmore. This was probably a mistake. There's some wonderful stock on the layout - I particularly appreciated the 3-cylinder compounds - a Greater Britain and, my favourite, a Class A 0-8-0. There's plenty of goods train action but I'm afraid that's where, after a while, a hint of dissatisfaction set in. I was reminded of the remark made by a non-modeller but ex-spotter friend of mine after we'd spent some time watching Keir Hardy's Wibbenshaw at RailEx a few years ago: "not enough 47s". He said he'd love to have been spotting at a location with such a variety of diesel classes but it simply didn't reflect reality. Now I'm a bit of a pre-grouping goods wagon enthusiast so am climbing on my hobby-horse here but modelling early 20th century wagons has made me try to find out more about how they were used and to look at what was typical. What I've come to understand is, that before the Great War, there should be very few "foreigners" and very few "specials"; apart from private owner coal wagons, the scene should be dominated by the standard open wagons of the operating company. Around 1905 over 70% of Great Western wagons were standard opens of various vintages, well over half of which were 4-plank wagons; I haven't worked out proportions for the LNWR but D1 1-plank wagons, D2 2-plank wagons, and D4/D9 4-plank wagons constituted a high proportion of the stock. Vans of any sort should be very much in the minority - no more than 10%. And lots of those opens should have sheets on them - don't waste scarce funds on fancy wagon loads when an amorphous lump of wood will do just as well.

 

I can perfectly understand that on a group layout using stock from various members, what is run will reflect the preferences of the individual members. But since such effort has gone into creating a layout full of such well-researched period detail, wouldn't some evenings spent building a few dozen GWR and LNWR open wagons just be worth it for that extra touch of realism? Now, I admit that a key kit here - the Coopercraft O5, that can, by building it with conventional rather than Dean-Churchward brakes, represent the 24,000+ earlier 4-plank wagons, is out of production, so some Ebay patience is also needed, but the LNWR wagons are readily available. 

 

Although I'm an adherent of the cult of the ordinary, I do enjoy whimsy - this year in the form of a red-painted Cambrian cattle wagon with suitably smoking livestock. 

This one? Took my eye too

[Compound2632]

That's the one - did you get the smoke effect too? Best novelty features I've seen on layouts at the last two shows I've been to have used smoke units - our club show at Swallowfield had a splendid little HO Portuguese layout, whose name I'm afraid I can't give as I didn't actually pick up a show guide. Anyway, there was a church with clery procession and clouds of incense. To Mr Loydall I quoted Dai Station's "Livestock must be conveyed in the proper container" - at which I was treated to Ivor himself making a trip across the layout!

 

I've mentioned Hope-under-Dinmore; another layout I was much taken with was also Welsh-themed; Llanastr. I remarked that the idea of the other half of the loop being the sector plate reminded me of a layout I remembered from an early MRJ, to be told that it was one and the same! (I should have read the show guide). Given that layout and stock must be getting on for 30 years old, it looked remarkably fresh. 

 

(Lest I be accused of hypocrisy, I should say that it is usually easier to chat to the operators of very small layouts, since (a) they're not in general having to concentrate so hard on keeping a complex schedule going and (b) one can be the only person looking at the layout.)

 

I went past Cheddar several times but frustratingly the really interesting stock was always in the cassettes on the fiddle table (looked rather vulnerable) than on the layout - some lovely blue Johnson engines and what I presume were carriages from the long-lamented Blacksmith kits.

[Compound2632]

Has a full list of award winners been published?