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The 50th Wakefield Show, THIS WEEKEND


jamie92208

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Back home safe and sound. It was a cracking good weekend and many thanks to my operating team of John, Pete & Nick for their hard work, company and for putting up with the bad jokes!.

 

I agree with the comments about Penlan. One of the top layouts on the circuit and worth the admission price alone! I ended up watching pretty much the whole sequence of trains before tearing myself away. Worthy winners of the "Visitor's Cup" for the best visiting layout too. Having said that, pretty much all the layouts were very high standard and could have won such awards at many a show.

 

A big thumbs up to Jamie and the Wakefield club.

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Back home safe and sound. It was a cracking good weekend and many thanks to my operating team of John, Pete & Nick for their hard work, company and for putting up with the bad jokes!.

 

I agree with the comments about Penlan. One of the top layouts on the circuit and worth the admission price alone! I ended up watching pretty much the whole sequence of trains before tearing myself away. Worthy winners of the "Visitor's Cup" for the best visiting layout too. Having said that, pretty much all the layouts were very high standard and could have won such awards at many a show.

 

A big thumbs up to Jamie and the Wakefield club.

 

Just back home too: What a cracking show, probably the 2nd best in the North East that I have been to. For those who missed it 'Shame on you', get it in your diary for next year. This club deserve to win out in this recession. Good effort all round. Charlie Petty.

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To everyone that came, a big thank you.

To all the people who've posted on here a big thank you.

 

The show has been very successful in every way. On a personal basis I was v ery pleased with the reception that the bare boards of Green Ayre got and it was good to be able to see it with stock on it.

 

The attendance was well up on last year(which was badly affected by snow) and above that of 2009 which is an excellent result.

 

To Mallard I'm sorry that you weren't able to come but next year's show should be good as we ahve some good layouts invited and the trade should be broadly the same.

 

It's been a tiring buy very worthwhile weekend and my glass of malt is now going down steadily.

 

Jamie

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An excellent Show, the Penlan Team thoroughly enjoyed the weekend.

As far as we were concerned, the accommodation, catering and general well-bing for us was excellent.

 

Got back home at 12.45am this morning (west Cornwall, Nr Lands End),

unloaded the van (by myself - the support crew went on home to Cardiff)

and into bed for 2am. 400 miles each way.

 

Dogs had to be at the Vets for minor ops this morning... so life goes on.......

 

Many thanks to Jamie and all the others at Wakefield for an excellent weekend.

Oh and the Domestics are very pleased we somehow were voted 'Best visiting Layout',

bearing in mind Rowlands Castle, Horton Regis were there and some other very good modelling too.

 

For me, I thought the 'Wisconisan Central' Menasha was a very nicely presented layout,

not the usual garish USA themes I seem to see around the UK,

but as it was a Wakefield member's layout was not eligable for Best Layout.

 

PS - I know my layout is LNWR, but the other companies stock running (Taff Vale, Neath and Brecon, Midland, Rhymney) belongs to my 'helpers' and they made it a condition that they run their stock over the weekend, if I required them to help me.... Such is democracy!

- The helpers were/are Tudor Watkins (Sennybridge, Neath & Brecon),

John Miles (Brynamman, Mid. Rly) and Graham Tierney (Ynysbybwl, TVR).

 

Sandy Croall - aka Penlan

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We visited yesterday, and while still a decent show and well worth the entrance fee, we didn't think it was the best we've seen from Wakefield.

 

Highlights: Top three layouts were unanimously Penlan, Rowlands Castle & Menasha, while Lancaster Green Ayre hints at something very impressive to come.

Smaller scales (3mm and smaller) were the poor relation though as they have been the last couple of years. Just 2 n-gauge layouts of which one is a reasonably competent layout but oh so badly presented, and the other... erm... well... (though the 'poor presentation' charge could also be leveled at a few larger scale layouts as well - why the sudden trend for decorative light fittings on sticks, mostly pointed in the viewers eyes not at the layout??)

 

Public Catering (previously a niggle) was very efficient and well run - even at lunchtime peak could walk in, be served and seated within minutes. A reasonable selection at sensible prices as well.

 

Paul

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....... and the trade should be broadly the same......

Squires were there this year,

terrific to see them out and about after their recent problems (NOT for discussion or rumour, please).

That maximised the depletion of my monies, again.

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Squires were there this year,

terrific to see them out and about after their recent problems (NOT for discussion or rumour, please).

That maximised the depletion of my monies, again.

 

True, having them opposite the Thomas layout didn't help either :lol: - they got my money for paint and I could have spent much more had I not been so restrained ......

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I was one of the hired helps on Penlan, although Sandy's wages aren't the best (a few pints - but at least he likes real ale and the Redoubt across the road does a cracking pint of Tim Taylors Landlord). He won best layout, again and I think he is getting to like the accolades as he said before the show he wasn't going to accept any new invitations due to the long drive from Mousehole etc but the smooth talking lot from Epsom and Euell booked him in for their show in 2014 so it looks like I will be doing my hired help act for a bit longer.

 

I really enjoyed the show, thought the quality was exellent (e.g Horton Regis, Rowlands Castle and others) and the hospitality was first rate. We liked it so much we asked if we could take Ynysybwl in 2013 or 2014.

 

The rumours about the demise of Squires are not true. The current Squires will cease trading on 31st December but there will be a "Son of Squires" starting in the new year. I asked and I was assured that it was worth hanging on to my catalogue as everything that is currently available will be available in future.

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Came back Sunday night shattered but well pleased with the weekend. Wakefield get their money's worth from exhibitors, but I can't think of another show which looks after you so well. On 'Marske' we were a man short in a four man team, which made for a fairly intensive weekend. On behalf of Martin I'd like to publicly thank Paul (Worsdell Forever), David (Scottiedog) and Adrian for spending their show time operating so we could get lunch and a sit down. I'd have liked a lot more time looking round but it simply wasn't possible.

 

I thought the trade was very good - Andrew always gets most of my spend but having Eileen's and Roxey there was very handy. I hadn't met Dave (Mr. Roxey) before but he was a very friendly and forthcoming chap and I came away greatly educated about things LSWR. Thanks also to the Horton Regis team for their advice on my unidentified van. I was very pleased to get another chance to see Penlan having seen mutterings about it's retirement and it was nice to meet Mr Penlan himself. I didn't get the chance to have my promised turn on Leighton Buzzard but I shall not forget.

 

I did get a quick scoot round with the camera on Sunday morning. Paul and I obviously have the same taste in layouts so it's a bit more of the same but hopefully someone else will have photographed others. I see hundreds of photographs taken of layouts I operate at shows - where do they all go?

 

Penlan. Ancient or modern, good modelling always stands out and this is very good.

 

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Horton Regis. The chaps were kind enough to allow me round the back to take some pictures the public couldn't normally get and also lifted the lid on their goods operations. Some of the pictures show up the limitations of my camera but hopefully that doesn't detract from a fine model.

 

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I was pleased to note Jamie's comment that numbers were up - we were struck by how many people came on Friday night, but the show was busy all weekend. One piece of feedback from one of our visitors was that it took a while to get in (probably seemed longer because of the cold) and he wondered whether tickets might have been sold down the queue before the doors opened to speed up the process when people could start to get in. From our point of view you couldn't fault the organization all weekend.

 

Oh and there were Specials at breakfast, but they hadn't been issued with uniforms. Some of them looked as if they were going out on the beat on Sunday morning and they still didn't have them.

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I visited the show for a couple of hours on Sunday and wasn't disapointed. If I'd not been suffering with man flu I'd have stopped much longer.

 

I've been to the last four Wakefield shows and I have to say that it usually manages to be the best exhibition in Yorkshire. As far as quality of layouts is concerned I think only the York show beats it. I'm looking forward to next year's show already.

 

Well done to everyone involved.

 

Happy modelling.

 

Steven B.

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It has just struck me that the layouts which seem to have attracted the camera lens (Penlan & Horton Regis plus a lovely NER loco on Marske) are excellent models of the pregrouping scene and therefore my boat is well and truly floated!

 

Bring on Lancaster Green Ayre, I say! Midland style or what!

 

I even won a sweety off the Penlan guys for drawing attention to a certain item of rolling stock but it would by unfair to give it away for future shows. Was I the only one?

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.....I even won a sweety off the Penlan guys for drawing attention to a certain item of rolling stock ...... Was I the only one?

To answer the last part, I'm sorry to say yes. you could have had more sweeties - mind you the lads were handing out Home Made Welsh Cakes to some of the ladies (ingratiating little toddies - the lads that is). I was rationed on the Welsh Cakes.

 

We didn't have many queries over the weekend, which is a pity because we had been boning up on our models, suppliers, history etc., for ages, just in case.

 

BTW t-b-g, I think your doing a great Job with THAT GCR layout, well done.

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We didn't have many queries over the weekend, which is a pity because we had been boning up on our models, suppliers, history etc., for ages, just in case.

 

When I was watching you were so immersed in the railway that it would have been a pity to disturb you.

 

Having spent three sessions watching at different times I could tell why. I was captivated by the scene. It had the feel of a real country railway even though I was born nearly 40 years after it is set. Each time I looked at a particular area I spotted something new that I hadn't seen before, such is the quality and detail contained in this work of art.

 

I even ended up on a train an hour later than intended as I completely lost track of time when I was watching your trains go by.

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To answer the last part, I'm sorry to say yes. you could have had more sweeties - mind you the lads were handing out Home Made Welsh Cakes to some of the ladies (ingratiating little toddies - the lads that is). I was rationed on the Welsh Cakes.

 

We didn't have many queries over the weekend, which is a pity because we had been boning up on our models, suppliers, history etc., for ages, just in case.

 

BTW t-b-g, I think your doing a great Job with THAT GCR layout, well done.

 

Many thanks! I am having an absolute ball working on and with it!

 

I will sort out some really obscure queries for you next time round. Now what colour and thickness was the shading on the lettering of MWR guards vans?

 

Cheers,

 

Tony

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Just for the record, this is the Penlan Crew(e)!! Without whom so much would be impossible?

 

PS - Were not sure how that large Mouse got there!!

 

Did Tudor win the cup for the best named exhibitor?

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We did have the odd little (in-house) joke on the layout like this Bullion Van and Irish Butter Van = Kerry Gold.....

 

To stop any questions - I copied the van details of the Bullion Van from the 1896 LNWR Coach Dia Book at Kew back in the 80's,

made a drawing and Trevor Charlton etched the zinc end/sides for me, a one off, I think I used a cut down 26' Chassis from D&S.

The white metal Butter Van was D&S Models.

post-6979-0-83065200-1322525308.jpg

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Ah, another one. My Mother use to work for Corralls the coal Merchants in Winchester in the 60's.

They had a model in the window of one of their PO wagons, this model seemed a natural extension ...

Made around 1967-8, just after we discovered PlastiCard in the UK and before I moved to Norwich (for work).

Some old mapping pen lettering there too!!!!

 

Knighton? I was going to model Knighton at one time, I lent my original LNWR 40':1" drawings to the old Ratio firm so long ago,

it's lost in the mist of time (also a load of details to the Newport MRC), none have ever been returned, so I've moved down the line.

 

Not on display this time were wagons like 'J.B.Deggwood', John Degg & Bill Wood, the builders of Hartwell.

ILAM Gas Works was there, J&B's first exhibition layout.

(if this means nothing!!!!!, then you will have to go to the Penlan Layout article on the first page of layouts via the link at the bottom of this post).

 

BTW t-b-g, are you going to tell us about the 'Yorkshire Switch' you found?

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