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andyram

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  1. andyram

    Decisions, decisions.

    By andyram,

    Right now I am sat with one of those well known modelling problems, not sure which way to turn. At the start of this year I had two 00 gauge model railways. Skaleby was my 11ft long shelf layout that was permanently erected in our spare room and its little brother, Skaleby West, a 4ft x 1ft micro layout, built for exhibitions was stored alongside it. The latter was considered complete with just the usual maintenance being required, whilst the former was an ongoing project.
    Recently we moved into our new build property. Sadly Skaleby cannot be accommodated into the spare room and has been consigned to the garage. The two moves this year has really taken its toll. The track, laid on ballasted foam underlay, has started to lift and needs relaying, probably on cork with new ballast. With such major surgery needed I am unsure whether to rip it up and start again or leave as a long term project for the summer months.
    Skaleby West is in the spare room. However in order to join the scenic board to the fiddle yard a short extra board will be needed to allow the layout to fit around the corner of the room. This will also mean the part constructed 4ft extension board cannot be accommodated in the house and could only be used at exhibitions.
     
    So what to do?
     
    Do I concentrate on the maintenance of Skaleby West alongside building the short extension piece to allow me to run the layout at home?
     
    Do I use Skaleby West as a shunting layout, minus the fiddle yards, whilst concentrating on overhauling the layout's goods shed and adjacent area (those who have seen the layout will know what I mean!)?
     
    Or do I start something new?
     
    After all, I do have a 4ft x 1ft baseboard all but complete that is sat doing nothing! During my recent holiday in Norfolk the old grey matter has been ticking over and I rather fancy a small coastal terminus model to include a small station and some sort of goods / harbour area for the movement of fish traffic. I have purchased several of the Hornby and Bachmann fish wagons and a low relief Bachmann hotel building in recent months so I do have something to start with.
     
    Decisions, decisions!
     
    Oh and there is still the planning permission passed for the small G scale layout in our new garden, providing Thomas features somewhere!!!
  2. andyram

    Progress continues!

    By andyram,

    Another month down and I am pleased to report more progress with the Weston on Trent 2014 show. Following the announcement in the last entry of two new exhibitors for this year's event, I can confirm that further layouts have now been booked. Ken Jones is one exhibitor who has agreed to return for a third year with more of his micro layouts whilst another third time returnee, Malcolm Hughes, has agreed to bring some more of his heritage collection. For this year it looks likely that he will provide a display of Lone Star models. John Bottomley who attended the 2013 show with his 00 gauge layout, Torridge, has agreed to return with his N gauge model this year. That already makes a total of 6 or 7 layouts. Last year I reached 20 and hope to do so once again. There are a couple of other returnees I need to confirm soon which will hopefully take the layout total into double figures.
     
    Recently I have joined the Mickleover Model Railway group. Apart from some very enjoyable evenings it has also opened up some other possible new exhibitors. Hopefully these can be sorted soon. One established member has already expressed an interest in attending for the first time. A good start then, but I still need more exhibtors. If any other RMWeb member is interested please send me a message.
     
    It now looks certain that we have sold all of our trade stands already. Only one of last year's traders is still to confirm their availability and I am confident that they will be joining us. If not we do have two other traders waiting in the wings to step in. It is a nice position to be in!
     
    The first set of leaflets were distributed around the recent Burton swapmeet and some were left at the Stafford show so the publicity has already begun. Hopefully this will help to bring in another good crowd. At this point it is worth stating that admission fees will be the same as last year.
     
    As for
     
    The layout
    Our house move has still not happened as my solicitors have decided the end of January was a good time to go AWOL. As a result we are still packing up our current house with no date set for the move into my late Grandad's bungalow. Skaleby West remains stored in the spare room and no work has been done yet. The planned scenic extension is currently on hold as another project has emerged. I have been involved with the planning of the "Beyond the Train Set" project for the September RMWeb Live event. This could mean that I will be involved with the construction of the group's Ffarquhar layout as well as planning some of the other displays. I have also volunteered to build the "shunting puzzle" layout for the display. At one point my spare Skaleby West board looked like it may be used for this, now it looks like a seperate board is to be constructed for me so the board can be reallocated to Skaleby West. Whether I will find time to develop it is another matter. It may be that, for 2014, Skaleby West's space in the show will be taken by the "Beyond the train set" display. Time will tell.
     
    Until next time....
  3. andyram
    The Easter holidays are here, and a break from the constant round of planning, marking, teaching and assessing student teachers. A chance to spend some time with the family and catch up with some modelling. Here is the latest update....
     
    The layout
    Despite the granting of planning permission for the extension to Skaleby West, and the placing of an order for the wood, there has been no physical progress as regards the second scenic board. That does not mean things have been at a standstill however. The early part of the Easter break has seen me tackling a few more jobs on the orginal board.
    Some of the scenics for Skaleby West were completed in a rush, in order to get the job done for last year's show. The buildings, with the exception of the cottage, were simply placed onto the layout with no additional detailing. They served their purpose, but I always felt that the Skaledale signal box looked a little too clean and fresh out of the box. So on Easter Monday, whilst watching the Rams record their ninth successive win over Leeds on Sky tv, I set about the model with the weathering powders. This was a little nerve wracking as the only item I had previously weathered was the station's red telephone box. Initially I used some "brown muck" and dry brushed this down the cream top of the 'box, ensuring the powders were worked into the corners and the recesses between each "plank of wood". The same colour was then dry brushed over the brick work, and lightly over the roof. Quite a bit of the powder did fall onto the cinder ground cover. I brushed this into the scatter material and it does seem to blend in like a "sandy soil". I am not sure yet whether to leave this or re-cover it with fresh scatter material as I am not sure about how effective the current look is.
    Once I had finished the brown I added a dry brush covering of "black muck" to the signal box. This blended in quite well. I then followed this up with a liberal covering of hairspray. I used this method on the telephone box and it seems to work well. The hairpsray does seem to fix the powders without leaving a "sheen".
    The completed signal box can be seen here. The weathering does appear subtle as the hairspray does remove some of the powders as it is sprayed.

     
    I then used the "black muck" powder to weather the grounded van body which acts as the office for the coal merchants. This can be seen here.

    I am quite pleased with the effect on both models, although I may add a touch more weathering to the signal box as I am not sure it is weathered enough. I still have plans to detail the interior of this model too.
     
    During the last few days I have taken advantage of the layout's "temporary" location in the lounge to run a few trains. I am not able to fit the fiddle yard board in, so the Peco loco lift has been used instead, meaning short trains only. For the benefit of my daughter, my 25 (ish) year old model of Thomas the Tank Engine visited Skaleby West complete with Annie and Clarabel. But recently it has been my large Prairie tank, number 6134 that has been used to shunt wagons in the goods yard. Here are a few pics of the locomotive stood at the platform.


     
    The poor scratchbuilt goods shed remains in-situ at present and can be seen here with the wagons awaiting their turn to be unloaded.

     
    And so with a week and a half of my break remaining I hope to make further progress. At the very least I want to have picked up the wood and made a start on finalising the plans for the second board. I do know that this will likely feature a single track running through, with the scenery depicting more of the village scene - beyond that my plans remain a little bit hazy.
     
    The show
    After a busy few weeks at work things have been a little bit quiet in terms of the show. Apologies to those people awaiting emails from me, I have not forgotten, I have just not got around to it yet. Expect to hear from me shortly.
    I have started sending out more publicity leaflets and I have finalised the final trade stand for the show. Things are continuing to take shape.
     
    Until next time....
  4. andyram

    Allestree 2015

    By andyram,

    It has been a bit of a late start to my show visits for 2015. Sadly, due to my wife and daughter being ill, I missed the much anticipated Stafford show at the start of the month. As a result my visits for the year began with a much smaller show. This Allestree event has been around a long time having been organised by members of the church to raise money for church funds. Last year the event was taken over by the Famous Trains charity although, as I understand, the proceeds still go to the church.
    This event is always a very friendly and intimate event. It often features a number of displays of heritage model railway stock and displays by some local amateur modellers as well as those more experienced exhibitors.
    This year's event was much the same with a couple of older Hornby 00 gauge models. Alongside this there was a table top Thomas layout and a Hornby Track Mat style layout. Malcolm Hughes had a good display of older, boxed models alongside his N gauge suitcase layout.
    In the main hall there was a small 00 gauge shunting puzzle which invited visitors to have a go for themselves. This, like all of the other models, succeeded in keeping things moving all the time which certainly entertains the younger visitors. All of the models were achievable by all and may just provide inspiration to some of the visitors to start their own project.
    The Famous Trains group have succeeded in extending this event into a second room. This second area featured some more recognisable and more established show layouts. The Lenton Model Railway group brought their excellent Greenacre Sidings and their sound fitted Linden Halt which featured B.R blue and green diesel models. Two N gauge layouts completed the scene including Laurie's Lair which has appeared at a few shows recently. Each time I see this model more and more scenic features have been added. I wonder what it will look like by the time it appears at the Weston show in November.
    The trade was limited to a couple of model railway stalls, with one quite sparsely populated. There was nothing to really tempt me to part with my cash. The Railway Bookshop was present too.
    As always the event features excellent catering, at very good value. The bacon cob was very nice and the cost of that, a mug of coffee, a cheese sandwich and a glass of squash for my daughter totalled just £4.00. Some shows could take heed from such prices!
     
    All in all a very enjoyable local show that once again manages to achieve its objectives. There was a good crowd so I hope it makes money for the church once again.
     
    Here are my "light-hearted awards:
     
    Best Layout:
    Greenacre Sidings - an excellent shunting layout which is well lit.
     
    Best model:
    David Wright's scenic treatment of the Hornby disused cottage. Inspiration for my own modelling.
     
     
    Disclaimer!
    I thought long and hard about whether to write this post. Last year I took some, rather harsh, stick from some members of this site when I made some constructive comments about some shows I visited last year. Remember these views are my own opinions!
  5. andyram

    Loco problems

    By andyram,

    As half term approaches I am beginning to plan my next bout of scenic work on Skaleby. As mentioned in my previous post I am looking to work on the rear station platform by adding a dry stone wall to the rear and adding various trees, scatter and other foliege. I am also hoping to tidy up the board as it has become a little bit of a "dumping ground" during the last few weeks as the baby takes priority over everything else.
     
    Unfortunately it looks like I will have another job added to the railway's "to do" list. As I mentioned before, the layout has been hampered by the "flying fur" from the house rabbit that shares the railway room. I have had to clear small bits of fluff and hair from those locos which are stored on the layout at regular intervals. This week my trusty Railroad Jinty needed quite a bit of "defluffing". Sadly, despite my best efforts, it seems that the engine is developing a problem. Whilst running a train this morning the motor sounded quite rough. I can only describe it as a bit of a "croaky" sound. Strangely it only makes the sound when travelling forwards, as the motor is fine in reverse.
     
    It looks like I may have to learn how to do a few more loco repairs next week.

    In the meantime I thought I'd add this very old shot of the engine on the layout. This was taken before all of the boards were in place. The shorter running line resulting in the use of the old coaches.
  6. andyram

    3 months to go

    By andyram,

    Where did the last month go? All of a sudden there is just 3 months left until the model railway show and the alarm bells were beginning to sound. I have been off work for almost 3 weeks and there had been no further progress on Skaleby West. True enough I was away on holiday for one of those weeks, but I really needed to get things moving.
     
    With my wife visiting her mother’s today I had a day to myself and really got stuck into things. I used hanging basket liner to cover the embankments to act as long grass. I then added a large Gaugemaster backscene to the layout, and glued some hedging material from the same company in front of this. It provided a nice link between the layout and the backscene, and also hides those areas which weren’t cut as neatly as they could have been.
     
    I also purchased a Woodland Scenics “Forest canopy” kit, and used this to construct some trees which were planted at the rear of the layout alongside some ready made trees that I had bought a while a go. As this was my first attempt at making my own trees I was quite pleased with the effects although I probably should have waited for them to dry before planting them! I then used a variety of Woodland Scenics scatter material to add texture to the ground cover around the base of each tree.
     
    After a good five hour modelling session things really have started to come together. My final job of the day was to glue down the cottage after I had detailed the outside with some Noch laser cut plants.

     
    Now all I have to do is leave everything to dry before I detail the rest of the rear of the platform. At present the layout resembles a “before and after” scene with one side scenic and the other rather barren and empty. But with 3 weeks left before I return to work I hope to get this sorted too. If I do I will feel more confident that the layout will be ready for the show.

    The show
     
    On the subject of the show here is a quick update! Over the last couple of weeks I have suffered a little bit of a blow. One of the layouts has had to pull out. I understand the owner’s reasons for withdrawing and I am thankful to him for giving me plenty of notice. It does leave a space to fill….better get on the look out for a shelf type layout to fill the space then!
    On the plus side all of the leaflets which were left out at the Ruddington show seemed to have been taken. I hope these people all turn up on the day.
  7. andyram

    Frustration!

    By andyram,

    Another week and another update. Things had been going so well. I had those layouts booked, trade stands sold, measurements and floor plan well on the way. I had even made a start on the show guide. I was feeling pretty pleased with myself! In the last week I even had another RMWebber contact me with an expression of interest in bringing a layout to the show. Oh and Derby beat Forest 1-0. Things really were going so well!
    But they say pride comes before a fall don't they? Just as the machine is running well someone shoves a spanner in the works!
     
    Oh I love technology! No sooner had I digested the celebratory bottle of (Jake) Buxton mineral water, things began to go wrong. The connection between my laptop and its screen decided to die on me and the screen went blank. So a visit to the school's technician was in order. Fortunately, so I thought, I managed to do a temporary repair and removed all of the show files from the computer's hard drive onto a USB stick. What a relief!
     
    NO!!!!!!
     
    Two days later and, for no apparant reason, the school's computers decided to wipe the memory stick. All my work files....gone! This included all of the work I had done on the show, the floor plan, show guide, contact records everything!!! Have you ever seen a grown man cry?? You nearly did at this point!
     
    Fortunately I had some paper copies of the measurements and I have saved important emails so I did manage to start again and redo most of the stuff. As I redrew the floor plan I found that one of the layouts didn't fit in its original location! Why??? I have no clue. Did I make a mistake before or am I missing something? I have still not worked this one out so, for now, this particular layout has been relocated.
     
    And so I think I am almost back to where I was before the computers decided to have their teenage strop! I still have the show guide to restart but that is not a pressing problem at this stage.
     
    I remain on the lookout for more layouts and trade stands though. I asked a couple of people at the Nottingham show. Both layouts turned me down, but I did get one more trader showing an interest. I am still waiting on replies from all of those referred to last week and I still hope for a few more people. I hope to have more luck at Belper a week on Saturday.
     
    The layout
    Apart from the purchase of a few more items for Skaleby West there is no progress to report.
  8. andyram

    Nottingham

    By andyram,

    After a weekend off from show visits I managed to head over to the Nottingham event on Saturday. I really enjoyed this show when I visited for the first time last year and had been looking forward to it all week. (And that had nothing to do with the Rams win over Forest you understand!!)
     
    Perhaps the organisers needed to help fund some new players for the City Ground. I did think that the £8.00 entry fee was quite expensive. I know hiring the hall and bringing in layouts may not be cheap and that the organisers have to cover their costs somehow, but when compared to Stafford which was £7 for three halls and, I reckon, more exhibits it did seem a bit much. The show guide, at £1.50, was also 50p more than the Stafford one! That said, the show was excellent with plenty to see and some fantastic exhibits. I certainly enjoyed it once again and spent a long time there, so maybe I just about got my £8.00's worth.
    There were plenty of excellent layouts to see. The Scottish section was superb. Although not a diesel fan I did enjoy the B.R blue era Bannochbrae which ran with DCC sound locos. The scenics certainly brought back memories of my honeymoon in the Highlands of Scotland. Also reminding me of this particular holiday was the N gauge, Loch Oran which was based on the Crianlarich junction which I had travelled through on the way to Fort William. I also enjoyed the steam era Culreach which I think I have seen in the pages of Hornby Magazine.
     
    One layout which I had seen in the magazine was the GWR branch line terminus layout, Potterbourne. This too was excellent and showed just what operation can be realistically crammed into a small space. It ran very well too - unlike some layouts I saw on the day.
     
    My favourite layout, without doubt, was Stoke Summit. A huge model of the location of Mallard's record breaking run. This seemed to attract a huge crowd all day. It is a massive model, very impressive. I managed to squeeze into the crowd at one end of the scenic section, right by the tunnel mouth. Here I could look along the whole length of the layout to the curve under the bridge at the far end, straining to see if a train was approaching, whilst suddenly seeing another emerge from the tunnel beneath me. Above the tunnel a footpath was modelled about at my eyeline. As I stood there a constant stream of Eastern region locos passed by - A1, A3's and A4's on passenger trains, Austerity 2-8-0's on freights, a V2 on a parcels and a K3 on a shorter passenger train. For just a few minutes reality blurred and I got a sense of what trainspotting was like in those days when steam reigned supreme. As someone who was born in the 1970's this may be as close as I will ever get!!! Congrats to the owners and builders of this model. It truely was the highlight of the show for me.
     
    Although my wallet had been lightened considerably on entrance, I still managed to make some purchases. I am not a diesel fan, but I could not resist a Heljan model of the Railbus. This small model will go into the loco roster for my Skaleby West layout. I also picked up some point motors for this model too and a few trees. Now to get on with the modelling!!! Oh and I need to be nice to the wife...Belper in 2 weeks!!!
  9. andyram
    I can't believe that my last blog entry was in June! Where has the time gone?? All of a sudden there has been the first chill of the upcoming Autumn and the nights are starting to draw in and that means the second Weston-on-Trent model railway show is starting to creep ever closer. As I write this there is less than two months to go. So much has happened since the last blog, and so little has happened too.
     
    I had hoped that my six week summer break would see me get stuck into the planned extension to Skaleby West ahead of its second ever exhibition appearance at Weston 2013. Sadly things did not work out that way as other things got in the way - family trips out, decorating and a curtailed deviation into G scale modelling all eroded the time I had to work on the layout. In the final week of the summer break I did manage to glue together the wood to form the extension baseboard and that is it! The board still sits in our garage awaiting the final screwing together before scenic work can begin.
    Recently we have put our house on the market, and as we look to move into a new build via the government's "Help to Buy" scheme we have just a four week window in which to sell. During this time there is strictly no modelling as much of my stuff has been secreted away out of sight. It is looking very much like the extension will not get finished in time - in fact I probably won't have time to even start scenic work.
    I do have a "Plan B". If I can finish fixing the board together I may use it as a temporary second fiddle yard allowing Skaleby West to be displayed as a through station for the first time. The current scenic section has seen one or two improvements during the summer and I will refer to these in a later blog.
     
    But now the big news!
     
    The show will be extended this year!
    Yes I have gained permission to open up a second classroom which should allow me to fit in all the exhibits I have planned. There were a couple of layouts which I had put on my provisional list and had not got back to the owners. Both of these are RMWeb members so apologies to them. I will be in touch in due course. Right now I am measuring up the new room and beginning to finalise the floor plan to include all current exhibits. At present there are 17 layouts and 8 trade stands on the roster! We will also have the raffle and the same ladies on catering so all exhibitors and visitors can expect to be well fed!
     
    Less than two months to go then!
     
    Until next time (I promise to update soon!!!)
  10. andyram

    The clock is ticking....

    By andyram,

    As the pumpkins appear outside some of the doors on our street, and little witches, ghosts and wizards start begging at my door, it reminds me that November is almost here. In fact there are now just 17 days until the second Weston-on-Trent model railway exhibition. That is quite a scary thought as there is just so much to do. Here is the latest update:
     
    The show
    After the children had left school at the end of the half term last Friday, I finally made it into the junior classroom to complete the measuring up. This will form the extra room for this year's event. With the help of the headteacher's husband things were completed quickly. I have since spent the early part of the half term break completing the floor plan and sending out the confirmation emails.
    Sadly things have not gone as smoothly as I had hoped. A number of emails have come back with quick confirmations, but one or two have brought additional problems. One layout has changed shape! Yes the dimensions given to me at the original time of booking are now different and that will mean some further tinkering with the plan. In addition to this, one trader decided to moan about their planned change of location in the hall whilst another decided to argue over the agreed price! Sadly a further email has brought news that one layout has had to pull out. Whilst it was one of the smaller exhibits it is still a little disappointing!
    At present the layout count stands at 18. This is one more than last year. I had set myself a target of 20 so I am back on the search again. The question is, can I really find two more layouts at such a late stage?? Time will tell! Perhaps it is time to contact those people whose details I have placed "on file".
     
    The layout
    As regular readers of this blog will know, I built my first exhibition layout for last year's show. Since then Skaleby West has been stored in our spare room with plans to add a second scenic board in time for this year's event. Sadly that will not now happen.
    With our house still on the market the extension board has been stored out of sight in the garage. So far the baseboard has been glued together, but it still awaits the final screws before any scenic work can begin. Even if I manage to complete the baseboards there is just no chance I can do any serious work on it. The extension is now on hold until next year although the board may still be used as a second fiddle yard to allow Skaleby West to be exhibited as a through station for the first time.
    With a free day today I did give some attention to the current scenic board. The whole layout was cleaned to remove the layer of dust and a few repairs were carried out. It seems the original modelling glue does not come up to standard. A few of the platform items had come loose as had some of the "goods" in the goods shed. These were all re-glued before some additional detail was added.
    A bicycle was added to the platform and some Mini-Natur flowers were glued behind the station name board to hide the white plastic "feet" which could still be seen from some angles. At present red roses dominate the scene as this is the only colour I have. Hopefully I can pick up some other colours from Burton at the weekend allowing me to complete the scene. Here are some updated photographs, apologies for the poor quality as they from my mobile phone.

    Fresh from some maintenance Ivatt tank 41324 arrives with a short works train.

    A mobile phone shot showing the developing flower bed behind the station running in board.

    A shot towards the station building showing the newly added bicycle.

    The coal merchants complete with workman now re-glued in a new location.
  11. andyram

    One Month down!

    By andyram,

    Another week and another blog entry. It is a month since I started this blog, and at the time I saw it more as an appeal for help than something I would update regularly. Now it seems that I have settled into a habit of updating it each week. I hope that people are finding these thoughts and experiences of a show organising virgin of some interest. Here is the latest!
     
    The show - taking stock!
     
    After my intial appeal for layouts a month ago I was overwhelmed with the response and offers of help I received. Understandably things have slowed up at the moment.
    At present there are 5 layout owners booked and confirmed, bringing 7 layouts between them. Three of these layouts have been allocated space in the school hall. The other 4 are still planned for other rooms. A 6th owner has confirmed their attendance. All I need to do is decide which of his two show layouts I want. They differ quite a lot in size, so I have decided to wait and see what else I may get before I confirm arrangements with him.
    A colleague, who visits our school once a week, is a member of the Belper model railway group. He has promised to bring his layout, although this is still to be finished, and I am continuing with my own construction project (see below). So technically I can probably say that I have 10 layouts of different sizes and gauges attending the show.
    This week I have also confirmed the booking of two trade stands. This gives me three traders definitely attending so far. There are still some tables still to be sold though.
     
    So what next?
     
    Well I am still waiting on a few replies....
    - One preservation society was approached at a recent exhibition and expressed an interest in the event. Despite taking my details I am yet to hear from them.
    - A model railway group expressed an interest at the same show. This would involve them bringing a layout and having a trade stand. They also took my details but no reply yet.
    - One local railway based charity have promised to take a stand, the arrangements need to be confirmed.
    - I am awaiting confirmation from 3 layout owners.
     
    No panic yet though, the date is still a long way away and people are probably so busy with all the shows that are happening locally at the moment. Mind you, any further RMWebbers who could help with layouts would be welcome.
     
    The school is keen to have some kind of tombola or raffle. My wife has kindly offered her services and is going to contact companies for donations of prizes. I hope that she has more luck than me after I drew a blank from both Hornby and Bachmann. Both stating that they only supported charities local to them. At least they replied I suppose.
     
    The show layout
     
    The baseboards for Skaleby West returned from the workshops (aka my dad's garage) at the weekend. They are now fitted with the under frame supports and back and side boards. The model is now starting to resemble the skeleton of a show layout. I have loosely laid out the track onto the cork track bed to give an impression of how the final model will look. The first shot gives a general view of the whole baseboard.

     
    Whilst the second is a close up of the small goods yard area.

     
    At first I was a bit worried that the tunnel holes were not big enough, but a quick test with a Hornby coach has cleared up this concern.
     
    The next jobs will be to paint the backboards. They currently sport a rough layer of undercoat and will be covered with a grey / blue colour to resemble the sky. This paint was used on the bedroom walls and gives a decent backdrop to my permenant Skaleby model (see other blog).
    The other job will be to lay the track and fit the point motors. Now that will be a challenge!
  12. andyram

    Mixed fortunes

    By andyram,

    As regular readers of this blog will know, this year sees the fourth Weston on Trent Model Railway Show. I have had the honour of being the exhibition manager for the whole of that time, having originally come up with the idea for the show back in 2012. This show proved to be a success and, with the help of fellow RMWeb members and school staff, the event has continued to be successful throughout the past three years. It has raised over £2,700 for school funds, with the £900+ raised last year being invested in IPads for use in the classes. The three previous years have been very enjoyable and relatively stress free. Even the inaugural event, thrown together in just 9 months, was a very happy experience.
    I suppose it had to happen! This year's show has simply not gone smoothly. Every month there seems to have been one set back or another. In my previous entry I mentioned the problem of traders withdrawing due to being double booked or due to their decision to cut back on the number of events they were doing. Now the problem seems to have spread to layouts. Since my last entry I have lost two layouts from the show roster. One exhibitor has had to pull out due to work commitments, whilst another withdrew because his wife was having an operation in the week leading up to the event. Both thoroughly legitimate reasons for withdrawing, and both exhibitors have promised to attend in 2016. However it does not help my stress levels! I think I am finally beginning to experience the negative side of show management!
    Thankfully, as the title for this entry suggests, it is not all bad. The outstanding confirmation forms have started to drift in and more layouts have now been confirmed for the event. Another bonus came via one of our regular visitors. He contacted me with details of a layout he really likes and, after contacting the owner, this was promptly booked for this year's show. It may even bolster the planned "interactive room" which suffered as a result of one of the withdrawals.
     
    And so with a month to go it is time to take a deep breath and take stock.
    Currently the show has 16 layouts confirmed. I am waiting on another 4 or 5 layouts to send back their confirmations - but it does look like we are close to reaching my target of 20 layouts. With good luck and a following wind we may even exceed that total.
    We have replaced the missing traders - but are still hoping to secure one more. They just seem to be very quiet at present and I am not taking that as a good sign. The demonstrations are gradually coming together too.
    As I look more calmly at things it does look like we have a cracking show line up for 2015. There are old favourites returning in improved form and plenty of brand new layouts for the show too. Also there is a massive RMWeb turn out. I reckon that there will be at least 9, possibly 10, RMWeb members amongst the exhibitors - and it could be more... I am still trying to convince one more member to join us. This could be our biggest RMWeb turn out yet!
     
    So come and join us on Saturday 14th November from 10.30am. This year's event is helping to raise funds to stock our new library space!
     
    More news soon.
  13. andyram

    Sileby, Leicestershire

    By andyram,

    Three weekends in February so far and now three model railway shows visited. This time it was the Syston Model Railway society show which takes place in Syston, Leicestershire.
     
    I have to say I really enjoyed this show. Whilst there was once again nothing on the trade stands to tempt me, I enjoyed many of the excellent layouts on show. There were some old favourites such as Rowthorne and Cromer, both of which seem to attend every show I go to.
    I always like to see layouts that have appeared in the Hornby magazine, so it was nice to see Bishops Wearburn. This large N gauge layout always had something moving. The scenery was good too, with an impressive double track bridge over a river at one end.
    Summat Colliery was also enjoyable to watch and looks good too. Can't wait to see it once "Harry" gets the sound chip....Or should I not mention that
    I've not seen a Z gauge layout for a while, but "Nevermoor", set in LNER days was very impressive. So much detail in such a small scale. Just a shame that the owner heralds from Ipswich - I won't be able to afford to book it for my show later in the year.
    Mentioning small scale, the "T" gauge garden layout was also superb. Can't believe there is a working gauge as small as that!!
     
    Finally a mention on the catering. The bacon cobs were delicious, and contained much more bacon than at the Allestree show last wee!!
  14. andyram

    One week on - the future!

    By andyram,

    Back in February I started this blog entitled “What have I let myself in for?” With the Weston show now over I have had a chance to reflect on that, and also to look to the future!
     
    The layout - Skaleby West
    I had always wanted to build an exhibition layout, and organising the Weston show gave me the excuse and motivation to get on and do it. I thoroughly enjoyed the nine month build, and have learnt many new skills during the period including hand ballasting, using static grass and even a poor first attempt at scratch building.
     
    The layout returned home from the show unscathed and has found itself back in its original home on top of the rabbit hutch in the spare bedroom. Under the bright lights in this room I have to reflect that it looks ok. True enough it is not the world’s best layout and there are many faults – the goods shed for instance and the gap in the scenery at the front of the board by the tunnel. Despite these faults I am still quite proud of it. So what now?
     
    Skaleby West was always built primarily for the Weston show. That is what kept me motivated throughout the build. Now the show is over that motivation has gone, for now at least. In its present location I can’t even run it and so it may have to be mothballed and stored away in the loft for a while.
    I do want to finish the model. The points still need wiring, the goods shed will need replacing again, there is more detail I would like to add and I have considered adding a second scenic board. For transportation I have also thought about some sort of protective “box” which would cover the front and top of the model.
    I suppose any such work would probably be done with an exhibition appearance in mind. In theory the layout is available for show visits (with wife’s permission of course!) At the end of the Weston 2012 show there were no more in the diary………..
     
    The show – Weston-on-Trent
    Without doubt the show was a success. We raised plenty of money and I have received so many kind emails and messages of congratulations for the show. I thank everyone for their feedback, including the constructive criticism we received. All feedback is useful. It was nice to pass on the kind comments about the catering to the rest of the staff who did such a great job. I know they appreciated it. Many said that they don’t receive such kind comments from people who visit our other fundraisers which are more aimed at the school community. Many praised the politeness and friendliness of our visitors.
     
    The money raised, along with the kind responses we received, pretty much made the decision for us. There WILL be a Weston-on-Trent 2013 show. I can now reveal that the date has been set for Saturday 16th November 2013. Therefore I am issuing an appeal for layouts again. I know some people from this year’s show may return with other layouts so I am a little way down the line already – but I will need more.
     
    So as my blog title said back in February. “What have I let myself in for?” Maybe now I should rename it “Here we go again!”
     
    Here’s to next year. And in the meantime here are some additional shots I have taken of Skaleby West during a free hour today.

    What might have been!
    The milk taken stands by the goods shed. I dropped this wagon whilst packing stock prior to the Weston show and broke the coupling.

    Two shots of Jubilee class 45659 "Drake" as it exits the tunnel into Skaleby West.

    Standard 3 tank 82020 pauses at the platform.

    82020 shunts the goods yard.
  15. andyram
    So, as I write this blog, there is now less than three days to go until the first ever Weston-on-Trent model railway show. Now is the time that things should be coming together. As far as the layouts are concerned that is very much the case. Most layout owners have replied to my recent email and confirmed their attendance and how many operators are due to be coming. That will help us to sort out the free lunches for them and hopefully ease the growing panic amongst the ladies who are running the refreshments on the day. The planning meeting on Monday saw some very stressed ladies!!
    The problem is, as this is our first show, we just do not know how many people to expect. We could have just 50 people through the doors, or we could have ten times that. It is impossible to make a prediction which makes stocking up on food very difficult. We don't want to waste profits by ordering too much, but we don't want to order too little and run out within the first hour. It is a difficult balancing act and it is causing some stress amongst the ladies at present.
     
    Am I stressing? Well maybe just a little! Whilst the layout owners have been brilliant at replying with the necessary informaton, the same cannot be said of the traders. Despite being asked two weeks ago to send payment in advance, I am still waiting for several of them to come up with the money. Worryingly one of these claims to want an advert in the show guide which is due to be printed on Friday and the ad hasn't been sent either. The last thing I want is to be printing the guides on the morning of the show!
     
    I also need to put the finishing touches to Skaleby West. Sadly modelling time has been eroded as my ten month old daughter has chosen the perfect time to turn into a diva. Anyone who saw her smiling and charming people at Burton on Sunday...do not be fooled! Actually, to be fair, a serious case of teething has caused some very restless nights which has restricted the time I have had to finish the layout. I have had to grab whatever time I can. Last night I stole ten minutes, before heading out to the Rams match, to glue down the cork on the fiddle yard board. Tonight I have turned my attention to detailing the platform. Earlier in the week I added signs to the station fencing, station lamps and benches. A pile of baskets were glued onto the platform in front of the station building and some more "goods" were added to the platform in the good's yard. Now I have added the figures to the platform and added the station name board. Here are the latest pictures,

    The newly installed station name board, trolley of milk churns, benches and people.

    A general view across the platform showing the additional detail including signs, people and pile of baskets.

    Further details to the top of the tunnel. A single man watches the action from the top of the embankment and a garden roller leans against the cottage wall.

    More goods added to the good's yard area. The goods shed still needs some attention before Saturday.
     
    And so as time continues to tick I still need to finish the fiddle yard and add more detail to the layout. The show guide needs finishing and I need to make some road signs!!! I almost forgot about them!!!
     
    Until next time....
  16. andyram

    The Night Before!

    By andyram,

    Well what a weird day! After a monumental effort from the staff during the afternoon the majority of the school is ready to receive their exhibits. It was a weird feeling setting up a model railway exhibition whilst dressed in pyjamas and dressing gown as part of a Children in Need fundraiser. Such is the varied life of a teacher! At least the fundraising film club in the afternoon allowed me some free time for setting up.
    The hall is ready, although we have had to reduce the tables for the refreshments to fit everything in. The hall must have shrunk!! A slight layout location ammendment was needed as well, but hopefully all will be well. To balance out the reduced tables we have added plenty of chairs in the corridors to give people places to sit.
     
    At present two layouts are partially set up, the show guides are printed and ready and the lunch passes are ready to be handed out. We have even remembered to put up signs for the toilets this year! Just the road signs to do. The Mickleover group are kindly lending us some of their signs for this year so hopefully they will be easier to see!
     
    And so, after a year of planning it is almost here! It has flown by. Once again the nerves are jangling. Have I got the plans right? Will everything fit in? Will all the exhibitors turn up? Will enough people come through the door?
     
    Only time will tell.
     
    If you are coming to the show I hope you enjoy it. Please remember, this is only our second show. We will probably still make mistakes. Please be patient with us. If you have any suggestions please tell us. The new road signs and pricing arrangements are based on feedback we received last year. If you enjoy the show please share your comments too. The positive verbal and written feedback we received last year was the reason this year's show went ahead!
    Also don't forget to come and say hi. I will be operating Skaleby West all day.
     
    As far as the layout is concerned it should be exhibited as a through station although the second fiddle yard is very rough. The loco roster will be finalised tonight (after a meal in the pub with my wife)
     
    Hope to see you there.
  17. andyram

    Time has flown!

    By andyram,

    Was it really the beginning of June when I last posted on this blog?? How time does fly, and to be honest the lack of input on here has rather matched the progress with this year's show. A house move, a holiday and starting back at work under a new head teacher have rather taken over my time. Just a couple of weeks ago Chris, who runs the kitchen at the event, approached me to ask about lunch arrangements for the day. My reaction was "oh sh**, is it really that close?" Well yes it is. The third Weston on Trent show is only six weeks away and the fingers are well and truly out!
     
    To be honest, knowing of my impending house move, much of the work was done in the early part of the year so we are not behind by any means. This week has seen the new layout information forms sent out to gather up the final information from all our exhibitors. This will make sure nothing gets missed after my break from duties. A few phone calls this week has confirmed some other layouts and seen a couple of failures too. Despite this the show is filling up nicely. I do think we could have our best ever line up of layouts. That being said there is still one definite gap. We still need a narrow shelf layout, maybe operated from the front, which could fill the space in one of the corridors. Any offers considered!!!
     
    As with the last two shows I plan to exhibit my own "Skaleby West" layout. This remains stored out of use in our spare room at present. The plan is to update the goods shed area for this year's event, replacing the poor scratch built building that has never looked quite right. I bought an off the shelf Bachmann building during the summer which will fit the space so now it is just a case of getting down to work. This may be the layout's last outing. It will have attended three Weston shows in a row, all be it with some amendments each time. The goods shed is the last area to be dealt with so there will be no changes for next year. With that in mind I am planning to start something new - more on that soon. Skaleby West will remain available for other exhibitions.
     
    More updates soon.
  18. andyram

    Keeping people happy

    By andyram,

    Earlier this week I read a blog by one of our exhibitors. Kev, builder and owner of the fabulous World War One layout "Up the Line" was discussing his preparation for an upcoming event. In his post he had a self confessed rant about the amount of time it took him to get ready for the event. He stated that he hoped his efforts were appreciated by exhibition managers. He then mentioned that he had it all to do again for the Weston show on the 14th November.
    Far from being offended by Kev's comments, I actually agree with them - and they got me thinking. I am sure that there is not an exhibition manager anywhere in the country who does not appreciate the efforts of the exhibitors who help to make their shows a success. The question is, do they do enough to show that appreciation?
    That is a question I really cannot answer. Apart from our own show, I have only exhibited at one other event - this was the Belper event back in March. On this occasion I would say that the organisers did show their appreciation. I was warmly welcomed upon arrival, offered help throughout the set up and was verbally thanked at the end of the event. I was also given an acceptable sandwich meal and four free drink vouchers. My exhibitors pack also included a dated badge to put on the layout to record its attendance. Is all this the norm? I do not know.
    As a show organiser I feel indebted to all of our exhibitors and their efforts. Without them the Weston show would not have been going for as long as it has. In recognition of this I do try and ensure I show our gratitude. I ensure all exhibitors are given full details in advance of the event, clearly explaining the day's arrangements. I ensure any expenses are paid on time. Our ladies in the kitchen pride themselves in delivering a good hot meal for all operators and we give out free drinks to them all day. Not sure on the menu for this year yet, but jacket spuds, salad and pasta were being discussed the other day!
    Finally I make sure that I email all exhibitors after the event to thank them for their attendance. I hope that this is enough!
     
    This year's show is now coming together. The current layout count has grown to 21. There are some fantastic layouts amongst them. Kev's newly extended "Up the Line" is back this year, defending its best in show title. It will certainly be one of the front runners for this year's award, but there is some good competition.
    My layout is making slow progress, see the Skaleby a West blog for details. I doubt the extension will be finished in time, but it can be shown as a work in progress on 14th November.
    At least the raffle is coming together. In the last week we have received generous donations of prizes from some local attractions. Step forward and take a bow Crich Tramway, Peak Rail, Ecclesbourne Valley Railway and the Donington Collection.
     
    Hope to see you on the 14th November.
  19. andyram

    Two weeks to go!

    By andyram,

    Almost a month on from my last blog and we are now a fortnight away from the third Weston show. Things are starting to come together, although maybe not as quick as I would like. What I can confirm is that we will have our largest ever show as we will be opening up a third classroom for this year's event in order to fit everything in.
    The layout list has now grown to 19 and I am hopeful of hitting the magic 20 mark before the show comes around. At least 7 of these layouts will be exhibited by RMWeb members which is not a bad representation for the site. A big thank you once again to everyone for their support. We are still short of a small shunting / shelf layout for the corridor space, so if anyone out there fancies adding themselves to the list then please get in touch as soon as possible.
     
    Since I last wrote a blog entry we have received confirmation from the local pub, the Cooper's Arms, that we can use their extensive car park for exhibitors. We will make sure everyone moves their cars this time too as we had problems with this last year. We have people ready to marshall the car park and direct visitors to alternative parking sites if the school car park becomes full. I will mention that the pub is well worth a visit and serves great food. Anyone planning to spend the day at the show could do worse than sample a beer before they go home.
     
    Sadly despite my best intentions Skaleby West remains untouched and time is ticking away. Next weekend will have to be spent working on the layout to ensure it is fit for its third outing. More updates soon!
  20. andyram
    Just over a week ago I broke up for my school's half term planning a relaxing week at home with my wife and new daughter. I had even hoped that I could end my modelling drought by restarting work on my home layout of Skaleby. But like the best laid plans of mice and men life does not always work out how you expect it. Visits to two model railway shows and several local model shops failed to find the dry stone wall pieces that I needed for my planned half term project. And with no other parts of Skaleby really providing me alternative inspiration, things have remained static in that area.
    But that was not to be it of course. A flippant comment made during a school fundraising meeting has landed me with the job of organising a model railway show at the school. This will be to raise funds for our "fifth anniversary appeal". It also landed me with the job of providing a layout of my own for the show. Sadly, Skaleby is not portable so I have decided to start another layout which will be Skaleby's little brother and one that will be built specifically to attend shows.
     
    So here is where we have got to now:
     
    The show
    Throughout half term I have been frantically researching show dates for the end of the year. The school's headteacher wants the event to take place in 2012 in order to fit in with our year of fundraising events. I have checked the dates of as many local shows as I can think of, and have come up with a list of prospective dates that won't clash. These will be taken to the governor's meeting later this week for confirmation.
    At present I am 99.9% certain that the show will be on Saturday 10th November and will take place at Weston-on-Trent Primary School in South Derbyshire. Once the date is confirmed I will be turning my attention to creating leaflets and posters to advertise the event.
    I have been very humbled by the response I have received from fellow RMWeb members and the offers of layouts I have already received. As this is a new show, and one that is being run to raise funds for the school, I have already stated the fact that I am unable to pay out much in the way of expenses. This has not stopped the layout offers coming in and I am really excited by the offers I have had. At least one layout offered had appeared on the "hit list" I dreamt up during the last few days.
    I have also received two definites for trade stands too, and that was from the first two people I asked!
     
    My recent visit to the Sileby show even brought up the possibility of a couple more layouts too. I am so amazed how easy it was to discuss this with people. As someone who admits to being quite shy, it was a big effort to actually ask people face to face for help. Thanks to all of those for being so helpful and understanding.
     
    So I hope to be able to formally announce the date soon and will then start finalising the list of layouts and looking for trade stands. It is all quite exciting!
     
    The layout
    I never thought a week ago that I would be contemplating another layout build. I have so much to do on my permanant home layout, Skaleby, that starting another one would be a ridiculous notion. But I have promised to show a layout of my own at our show. In reality, building a show layout has always appealed to me anyway and so this is a good excuse, even if the Weston show may be the only one it ever visits!
    As I am on a deadline and need to construct the model in just 8 or 9 months I have decided on a small micro layout. I have already purchased wood for the baseboard which will be 4 ft x 1 ft. The railway has been given a working title of "Skaleby West" and will feature a small branch line station complete with passing / run-round loop and a couple of goods sidings. This will allow me to transport some of my smaller stock over from Skaleby.
    I am not intending to model a particular region, and will make things deliberately freelance and vague. That way I could choose to run the model as ex GWR, Midland or even North Eastern region as I have appropriate locos and stock for these areas.
    So far I have played around with the track layout and have come up with what I think will be the final track plan. This is shown in the picture below. So far the board is sat on the top of the rabbit hutch which shares the railway room with Skaleby. I just need to run a few trains to check the plan is operable.

  21. andyram
    It has been a while since I updated this blog. But a few hours spent on Skaleby West has prompted me to provide the latest news on progress / lack of progress on the layout and on the second Weston on Trent show.
     
    Skaleby West was constructed last year. It took me nine months from starting it at the end of February, to completion for its debut at the first Weston show last November. Now my plans are to extend the scenic section by constructing a second 4ft x 1ft scenic board. Unfortunately the extension remains at the planning stage. Heavy work commitments have prevented me from making a physical start. The baseboards have not even been built. There are now just 6 months until the second Weston show. At this point last year the baseboards for the original Skaleby West had been built, painted and the track had been laid on the cork base. The holes had been drilled for the point motors and three of the four motors had been fitted. Should I be worried??
     
    My heavy workload should ease soon, and with a half term holiday just a week or so away I may just still manage it. My Dad has been primed to help out with the baseboard construction so that should help things along. There is less track to lay on the new board and no point motors to fit. Should I get the board constructed and track laid before the 6 week summer holiday then I may have a fighting chance.
     
    The modelling has been restricted to more repair work on the original Skaleby West. A couple of station lamps and one of the figures were re-glued onto the board and the track has received a thorough clean. A few trains have been run today.
     
    At least the Weston model railway show is not similarly stuck in the starting blocks! In fact it is bursting at the seams. I am still tying to juggle the 20 layouts which are on my confirmed / provisional list in order to try and fit them in. That extra room looks like it will be needed. I also have another trade stand to fit in. I am sure it will all turn out in the wash!
    During the last few weeks I have worked hard on publicity. Adverts have been sent to several magazines and websites. Leaflets have also been taken to many local shows. It was quite encouraging when I made a second visit to the Derby show last Sunday. All of the leaflets I had dropped off on Saturday had gone! I'm glad I had taken some more! Let's hope all those people come.
     
    Until next time...
  22. andyram

    It is almost here!

    By andyram,

    I can't quite believe it. The Weston-on-Trent model railway show is almost here! The last nine months have flown by. It only seems like yesterday that I was suggesting the show during a fundraising staff meeting back in February. So much has happened in the mean time. The show, and the layout, have dominated my thoughts. Now the nerves are really jangling. Will the show be a success? Will we make some money for the school? Have I done enough advertising? Will enough people come through the door? Were my measurements accurate? Will all the exhibits fit in? Will all the exhibitors turn up?
     
    Only time will tell.
     
    One thing is for sure - the school is set up and ready. After a monumental attempt from the staff we have the hall, classroom and corridors set up and ready to receive their exhibits. One layout is partial set up in the classroom and Skaleby West is as ready as it can be. Just some packing up to do tonight,
     
    Let's hope it goes well!
     
    Whatever happens the last few months have been an interesting experience. I hope people have enjoyed reading about my experiences. If any RMWeb user visits the show tomorrow I hope you will have an enjoyable day. Please remember that it is our first attempt. We may make mistakes, please be patient with us! If you do come please come and say hello. I will be there all day operating Skaleby West. It will be great to chat to some fellow RMWebbers.
     
    And if you are coming here are some pics to wet your appetite.

    The main hall awaits the exhibits.
     

    The main corridor is also ready.
     

    An additional Skaleby West photograph for the show guide.
     
    Hope to see you tomorrow...
  23. andyram
    The first ever Weston-on-Trent model railway show is getting ever closer. Here is the latest update!
     
     
    I may have been a little worried as I approached the staff meeting last week. The Weston on Trent model railway show was the only item on the agenda, and I faced the task of persuading the female dominated staff of exhibition virgins to provide help on the day. Thankfully my worries proved unfounded. They seemed to get quite excited by the event and a few have got together to take on the organisation of catering. I had expected a few bacon butties, cakes, drinks and sandwiches. But they seem to be planning an even broader menu including jacket spuds and croissants (not on the same plate I hope!!). A few others have decided on a “children’s room” so parents can leave their kids with the staff whilst they go off and spend money. Colouring competitions, Thomas videos and even a Brio train set where mentioned.
     
    With the expected layouts having all confirmed things really are starting to take shape. I have now started the show guide, adding in those layout descriptions and photographs I have received so far. I aim to finish this during the school's October half term so that it can be printed in the week leading up to the show. Gradually I feel that things are "coming together"...now if only I could find a couple more small layouts for the second corridor I would feel like I have completed the job.
     
    Talking of completing the job; I need to really get stuck into Skaleby West and get my layout ready for its exhibition debut. I was back on task last weekend with a rather bizarre modelling day. As Sky Sports showed the Nottingham Forest V Derby County match; there I was dressed in my Rams shirt, working away on the layout, whilst trying not to smirk too much as my Forest supporting wife shouted abuse at the screen (1-0, 1-0, 1-0, 1-0).
    I started by completing the hedgerow at the rear of the layout after finally managing to acquire the final piece. I then added further layers of static grass to hide any gaps at the bottom of the hedge where it refused to stick flush to the top of the embankment. Next I turned my attention to the platform. A few weeks ago I acquired some station fencing from a local swapmeet. This was a nice style, but looked just too bright and white for my liking. It needed some kind of weathering.
     
    Now I admit I have never done any kind of weathering before. I have always been afraid to touch the expensive locomotives and carriages in my collection, preferring to buy factory weathered versions where possible. But as far as I know there does not seem to be factory weathered station fencing out there, so I had to take the plunge.
    First I used a modelling knife to cut the fencing from its plastic holder. Then, using some weathering powders acquired at the Loughborough show, I dry brushed some “muck brown” onto the rear of the fencing. I tried to ensure a good collection of dirt in the corners by the fence posts. I then turned the fencing over and dry brushed a covering onto this side as well. After shaking off the excess I gave each fence piece a generous coating of hair spray which I hoped would fix the powders in place. Everything seemed to remain in place when I glued the fence into position. Fuelled with a little more confidence I then tackled the telephone box. Unfortunately the powders didn’t seem to want to remain in place when treated with hair spray and so I will have to look at this again.

    A view of the newly added, and weathered, station fencing.
    So as the show gradually gets closer I look over the layout and begin to compile the final list of jobs for the big push to the end. I can feel satisfied that many of these jobs fall into the “would be nice to do” rather than the “must get done” category. Ok, the layout does not have any signals and the point motors are not wired yet. But they can be operated, by hand, from underneath the layout away from public view. The layout also needs the additional detail. The recent issue of the Hornby Magazine had some free Sankey Scenic signs which would look great on the station fence. The platform also needs some additional detail including benches, luggage, milk churns and people. I would also like to detail the inside of the signal box and coal merchant’s wagon.

    A low level view of Skaleby West station. It would definitely benefit from the addition of the extra detail described above.
    There is one area that falls into the “must get done” category however. That is the goods yard area. Whilst all sidings have been ballasted, I still need to fill in the gap between this and the main running line. I had planned to have some kind of goods building here, but can’t find one small enough. It looks like I may have to try my hand at kit building. There was a small kit in the first ever issue of the Hornby Magazine which may just do the trick.

    Two views of the unfinished goods yard, showing the gap that needs filling in.
     
    As this scenic work was finished there was just 6 weeks to go until the show. Now, as I write this update, there is only 5 and I have done nothing more to the layout. Time to panic again???
     
    Until next time....
  24. andyram
    The Weston show is creeping ever closer and thinks are beginning to take shape. Here is an update:
     
    The Show
    The number of layouts is growing steadily. After a phonecall last week I have provisionally booked the 18th layout for the show. This will nicely fill another hole in one of the corridors. I can also confirm that the Meccano display will return for a second year, with different exhibits to last year. I still have a couple of other layouts I would like, and once I have measured up the second classroom I will know how much space I have left.
    We have once again reached an agreement with the local pub, allowing exhibitors to use the Coopers Arms car park for the day allowing us to keep the school car park clear for the general public. The pub is about a five minute walk from the school and provides a hot carvary, although booking for evening tables is highly recommended.
     
    The Layout
    The extension board remains in the garage with no progress made. To be fair there hasn't been much time for any modelling. The house remains on the market, and we have seen a procession of viewings. Sadly we have not had an acceptable offer yet. Until the house is sold I will not be able to get the extension board or my modelling materials out of their various hiding places.
     
    The Rant!!!!
    This morning I picked up the latest copy of the Railway Modeller magazine from my local supermarket. I was pleased to see the Weston show listed amongst the magazine's exhibition guide. My early email request was certainly worth it. Hopefully this may encourage a few more people to come over and visit this year. So why am I about to have a rant I hear you ask?
    Answer!
     
    I am a subscriber to the Hornby Magazine having purchased every issue since it began. At the same time I wrote off to the Railway Modeller I sent my ad request to the Hornby Magazine too. Last year they included our details for two months. This year..nothing. Have they ignored us? Possibly not! You see the show guide in HM ends on 9th / 10th November so it seems our date has missed the boat. I had no problem with that until I checked the release date of the next issue. The next publication date is the 14th November - two days before our show. Even if the ad makes next month's issue, what is the point? Many purchasers may buy on or after the date of our show. This is a complete joke. Surely editors should consider publication dates when putting a guide together and ensure those that fall so close to the next issue are included the previous month. The Railway Modeller has done this (its next issue is also the 14th November) so why can't the Hornby Magazine. What a waste of an email!!! I am fuming at present!!!
  25. andyram

    WestonRail 2013

    By andyram,

    I wonder how many small villages can boast two different model railway exhibitions a year, in two different locations, organised by two different groups of people. I doubt there are many. In fact Weston-on-Trent in South Derbyshire may just be unique in that sense.
    Last year I organised our first ever exhibition, located in the village school. This was successful enough for a repeat to be planned for this year (Saturday 16th November). This weekend sees another event in the village. WestonRail takes place on the Ukrainian camp on the edge of the village and is organised by the NMRA.
     
    Now I have been working in the village for 13 - 14 years and I have only recently found out about this show, which I believe has been running for several years. The first I heard about WestonRail was when speaking to someone at our event last year, who claimed to have visited this show in the past. The second time I heard about it was from a trader who booked a stall for our event for this year. Apparantly they had stood a previous WestonRail event.
     
    For the first time I actually saw an advert for the show. It featured in the "show diary" in the last two issues of the Hornby Magazine and as it fell on a weekend I was free I thought I would go along - take a look, and also try and leave a few publicity leaflets for our event.
     
    Now I will be honest at this stage. My expectations for the show were very low. Both the people who I had spoken to previously had rather negative things to say about their experiences. I was also aware that the show catered for people with an interest in modelling American railroads - something which is not necessarily my cup of tea.
     
    I am pleased to report that the show more than exceeded my expectations. I was made very welcome at the door and there was plenty of space to walk around the two halls of exhibits. To be fair, the show is mainly aimed at members of the NMRA, but non-members are more than welcome. It is described as a "modular meet" and many layouts were of the modular type. There were certainly some very large models. The N gauge modular layout was huge, almost an entire model railway system in miniture. This allowed for some rather lengthy train formations, and I happily watched the action for quite some time. It was very entertaining.
    There was a very nice model of "lumber company" layout in the second hall - complete with a barge being loaded and unloaded by rail. The name of the model escapes me, but it featured some very impressive scenics.
    The event featured a number of specialist trade stands as well as the Bachmann stand which sold spares and returns from their international range. I did hang my nose over one of their 00 gauge tramcars, but resisted the temptation to buy.
     
    All in all I thoroughly enjoyed my visit and I certainly feel that those people who spoke to me in the past were unfair in their criticism of the event. If you like American layouts you will love this - and I recommend you get across to visit the second day tomorrow. As a non-American modeller I have to admit I did enjoy the event too. I would like to thank those people on the door for making me feel so welcome. The hall is very spacious and ideal for a model railway show with seemingly plenty of parking on site. My only criticism is one that I know our show suffered from - signage! I know where the Ukrainian club is - but others don't and it is easy to drive past. A couple of road signs would help others find the event.
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