7mm Narrow Gauge Exhibition. Burton-Upon-Trent. Sat 17th June

[Mike Bellamy]

The 7mm Narrow Gauge Association Annual Exhibition will be at the usual venue of Burton Town Hall, but a week later than in previous years. 

 

Saturday 17th June 2023

 

10.30am to 4.30pm

 

Adults £7

Assn Members £4

Partners and accompanied Children Free

 

Burton Town Hall

King Edward Place

Burton-Upon-Trent

Staffs

DE14 2EB

 

For those who haven't been before, please don't follow "Town Centre" signs expecting to find the Town Hall as it isn't in the centre ! It is however just a few hundred yards from the station served by trains on the Derby/Birmingham line. There is off road parking nearby as well as a couple of car parks but from what I can recall, part of the area is the station car park and the other part is for the Travelodge - they have different charges and so make sure you get your ticket from the correct machine.

 

Full details later but we have 15 layouts booked along with 12 specialist traders, plus demonstrators and narrow gauge society stands.

 

As some of you may have seen elsewhere on RMweb, our close friend and area-group co-ordinator, Neil Blair passed away suddenly and most unexpectedly last week at the far too young age of 35. His 7mm standard gauge tramway layout, Elsbridge is featured in the latest issue of British Railway Modelling with photos by @AY Mod - thankfully he got his copy of BRM a few days before he died and was so pleased to see his layout in print. Elsbridge was scheduled to appear at Burton and will still be there operated by his friends from the Trent Valley Area Group.

 

 

[Andrew Young]

Looking forward to it. Here’s a couple of photos of Neil and Elsbridge from Mickleover in January. 

 

 

Andrew

[Mike Bellamy]

Not long now before those who are narrow minded gather at Burton for the 7mmNGA annual exhibition. As mentioned above this will be a day of mixed emotions following the recent passing of our good friend Neil Blair who has done such a lot locally for the Association, as well as being the editor of the newsletter.

 

Details of Layouts, Traders, etc below 

 

LAYOUTS

Books Bridge (O-16.5; Stuart Marshall)

Chuffineque (Oe; David Jane)

Dinas (8mm/ft; Peter Booth)

Donaldsay (O-16.5; Brian Fryer)

Elsbridge (O; Trent Valley Group, in memory of Neil Blair)

Melinau'r Abaty (O-16.5; Chris Featherstone)

Mousehole (O-16.5, Jürgen Heinritz)

St Petrock Quay (O/O-16.5; Angus Bentley)

Steyning Slim Line (O-16.5; Peter Farrell)

The Basin (O-16.5, Stan Summers)

Walton Lane (O-16.5/O; David Hoyle)

Whiteoak (O-16.5; Allen Law & Niall Rudge)

Withins (O-16.5, Dave Butcher)

Yellow Pelican Mining Co. (1:27.7, Tony Harwood)

5.5mm Modular Group (5.5mm/ft; Peter Blackham & Steve Jones)

 

 

TRADERS

 

422 ModelMaking

A1 Models   

Andrew Neale Books       

Blackham Transfers

EDM Models

GL Railways

IconicRail

Lcut

Locos n Stuff    

Mannin Models

RAILStuff

7mmNGA Publications

7mmNGA Modelling Goods

 

 

DEMONSTRATIONS

 

David Wright - Buildings and scenic features

Paul Holmes - Working with etched brass

 

 

SOCIETY INFORMATION

 

Corris Railway        

Fairbourne Steam Railway

Slim Gauge Circle

Stafford Railway Circle

Talyllyn Railway

 

.

[Mike Bellamy]

ELSBRIDGE (7mm standard gauge tramway) Exhibited by the Trent Valley Area Group in memory of Neil Blair.

 

This is an edited version of the original layout description - photos appear above.

 

Elsbridge is the top terminus of the Elsbridge Tramway Company, Neil's alternative take on the early years of the Ffarquhar branch line made so popular in the Railway Series by the Rev. W. Awdry. The station is situated on a cramped town centre location, surrounded by buildings. The layout reflects the line's horse drawn origins, with the addition of a short loop to enable locomotives to run round. Passenger services to and from the station are well patronised, and the station serves as the railhead for goods traffic for the surrounding Els and Callan valleys. The layout was to have been operated to a sequence, that would have covered a timeframe of approx. 40 years, from the 1880s through to the early 1920s. Motive power is a fleet of small tram locomotives, although locos from other Sudrian railways may also make appearance.

.

[Andrew Young]

Final plug from me for Burton. There’s some cracking layouts lined up (plus the sausage cobs are always good). Looking forward to seeing plenty of people there tomorrow. 
 

Andrew

[ELTEL]

 A much better selection of layouts than this year as I felt the 2022 was a bit of a disappointment.

 

I suspect with all that happened over the last two years with Covid, it took some time to get back into the swing.

 

Some super layouts that I had not seen before, and I suspect we may see some of the in BRM as Phil Parker was busy with his camera (didn’t see him eating any cake)

 

Well done to all the team and hopefully I will be along again next year.

 

Terry 

[Mike Bellamy]

2 hours ago, ELTEL said:

Phil Parker was busy with his camera (didn’t see him eating any cake)

 

Thanks Terry - and a thank you to your colleagues from Stafford who were there helping out.

 

As for Mr Parker, I can confirm that @Phil Parker was seen eating cake (as usual) . . . . . 

.

[Phil Parker]

16 hours ago, ELTEL said:

Some super layouts that I had not seen before, and I suspect we may see some of the in BRM as Phil Parker was busy with his camera (didn’t see him eating any cake)

 

Two layout shoots in the bag and now with Andy. 

 

 

Obviously, I had no choice but to try a morsel of cake, but the table was soon cleared for something even more tasty...

 

 

Excellent show. Well worth putting on anyone's calendar for next year. 

[45655]

51 minutes ago, Phil Parker said:

 

...the table was soon cleared for something even more tasty...

 

 

Oooh...  Now they are nice. Would love to know more about them (although someone appears to have nicked the wheels from under the Kinver toastrack at the front.)

 

Keith

Alton.

[Andrew Young]

Saturday was a very good day, have put some photos up on my blog should anyone wish to see what they missed. 
 

First up the experience of operating Elsbridge:

https://melynvalleyrailway.blogspot.com/2023/06/the-show-must-go-on.html?m=1
 

And secondly my photos of some of the other exhibits that caught my eye:

https://melynvalleyrailway.blogspot.com/2023/06/burton-2023.html?m=1

 

Andrew