Eaton

The layout list is now complete making 30 in total. I feel that our Exhibition Manager has produced a pretty varied selection so hopefully there should be something for everybody. List of Traders attending to follow.

LAYOUT DETAILS O Gauge Layouts ASTON Middlesbrough MRC GWR 1930's STAINDROP Chris Robertson LNER 1923 to 1947 HOSPITALS GATES East Riding Finescale Group Light railway 1945 to 1945 NEWCHAPEL JUNCTION Steve Wilkins GWR & SR 1923 to 1947 GRINDLEY BROOK Hillingdon RMS BR LMR 1955 to 1963 KLINKERHOFEN Norman Raven DB West Germany 1969 P4 & EM Layouts LEYSDOWN P4 Adrian Colenutt SR 1923 to 1947 KETTLEWELL P4 john Stocks BR 9WR) Late 1950's EASINGOLD EAST EM Alastair Oldfield (Rainhill MRC) BR / NE 1923 to 1947 GREYSCROFT MINES EM Paul Gallon BR 1955 HEBBLE VALE GOODS EM Karl Crowther BR 1970's HARKNESS EM Tony Bucknell LNER / BR 1930's to 1950's OO Layouts BILLINGHAM Middlesbrough MRC BR 1955 to 1963 CRINAN Rhyl & District MRC BR Scottish Region 1970 SCORBITON Kendal MRC BR 1980 STRATHMUIR Simon Fenton & Chris Hewitt BR (Sc) 1967 to 1971 WESTMOOR JUNCTION Simon Cullen BR 1967 to 1971 [/font][/center] HO Layouts [/centeize][/font] MALOJA Glyn Jones Switzerland 2000's TT Layouts SOUTH BOHEMIA Blair Hobson Czech Narrow Gauge N Gauge Layouts BUNGALOW Bob Rowlands BR in Cornwall 1970's DUNKOW ROAD Andy Small BR 1967 to 1973 DEANSMOOR Jon Dean WCML in Stockport area LLWYN GRUG Les Nehrlich BR (ex GWR) 1948 to 1956 INVERCALLY David Harrison BR (Sc) Mid 1960's TITHERIDGE JUNCTION BR (WR) 1967 to 1971 SOUTH WALTON NSWGR Simon Challis Australian New South Wales in the early 1980's 2mm Fine Scale Layouts ST RUTH Midlands Area 2mm Scale Association BR (WR) Cornwall 1957 to 1971 OO9 Layouts GARREG WEN Matthew & Helen Kean Snowdonia 1880 KINWARDINE WHARF Charles Insley North Wales Tramway in the 1920's TAN-Y-ALLT/DWFFYR UCHAF Merseyside OO9 Society North Wales in the 1950's

WIGAN 2017 is now well and truly over and we can now relax a little before we have to contemplate doing it all again in 2018. It was certainly exhausting and at times we where a little thin on the ground but we survived. We are of course very grateful to the support we received from those who helped us over the three day weekend, putting it together on the Friday and taking it apart on Sunday evening as well as doing those tedious tasks, issuing pass outs, manning tills, standing at barriers, meeting and greeting and the like that so easily go unnoticed over the two days we where open. Needless to say we are also grateful to the layout owners and operators who braved the motorway system to be with us in the Northern Powerhouse and graciously gave of their time as without them the show would not go on. The irony is that you are so busy at your own exhibition that you see very little of the exhibits. On more than one occasions I have visited an exhibition with our Exhibition Manger and have stood with him in front of a superb layout and suggested we invite it to Wigan only to be told 'we had it last year'. It is therefore imperative that our efforts are appreciated and that this must be reflected in the footfall through the door as you would not want to expend all this effort to produce a product that nobody wants. Much more enjoyment could be gained in visiting someone else's exhibition or better still taking a layout to someone else's show. It is the buzz to be gained in knowing that you have improved on last years exhibition that makes it worthwhile. Whilst there are a lot of factors that come into play in such an evaluation and some of them very subjective, visitor numbers is usually a reasonable indicator that, if nothing else things are heading in the right direction. I should say that we where more than a little pessimistic prior to the exhibition as things seemed to be conspiring against us, a slight change of date (again), football on the Saturday and the recently instigated car parking charges all seem designed to make our life difficult. It is therefore very pleasing to report that the attendance increased and that both the Exhibition Manager and Treasurer are carrying the broadest of similes. It would therefore be very remise of us not to thank all those visitors who supported our efforts and to hope that the visit to our exhibition was an enjoyable experience. This Friday we will be holding a debriefing meeting and looking at improvements we could try and implement next year and as such suggestions are most welcome, but please be aware that some 'problems' are beyond our control but we can certainly bring them to the attentions of 'the powers that be', whether they take any notice may be another matter.

If you visit on the Saturday morning or on Sunday there is still a free car park. If you stand with your back to the Sports Centre and go further down Loire Drive with the DW Stadium on your right you come to a small mini roundabout take the left turn and on your right is a large car park that was free on Saturday provided you arrived before 11.30 (before the security staff arrived to charge the football crowds, and I did check to see what they would do with the cars that where already in the Car Park and they assured me that they were only interested in people arriving from 12 onwards as they presumed them to be football supporters) and on Sunday as the Model Railway Exhibition does not class as an event, it was free. However, and I hope you are still paying attention, because you cannot claim a refund on the Council Car Park in front of the Sports Centre because we are an event. This explains why you see a lot of people wandering around Wigan with a slightly bemused look on their faces, we have got used to such contradictions. Pleased my Signal Box went to a good home.

Dave Whelan, owner of Wigan Athletic.

Further to the information provided by Apollo regarding parking on the large car park further round Loire Drive, this car park features temporary/moveable Ticket Machines so one is never certain when there is a charge. They will certainly be in operation on Saturday afternoon when the Latics are playing (charge £5). What the situation would be if you parked early on Saturday morning and the machines where not there and then stayed all day including the afternoon when they are, is problematic. I would suggest a trip to the security man in this sentry box for clarification and verification before leaving your car. On Sunday you just need to look out for the machines to ascertain if Sunday has somehow been designated an 'Event Day'. I only wish I could be more helpful but you only have to look at the housing estates around the DW Stadium on Saturday afternoon to see how ridiculous this situation is, there will be cars abandoned all over the place, blocking peoples drives, parked on grass verges and of course this contributes to the congestion after the match. But then this is Wigan and we specialise in traffic abnormalities. The Saddle Roundabout which most of you will pass, yes the one with a furniture store in the middle, also around its edges has a fire and ambulance station, Asda, B & Q, MacDonalds, Screwfix, Home & Bargains and the road leading to the Robin Park Retail Park and the DW Stadium. Add to this that all the traffic going into Wigan Town Centre has to pass through a Victorian Railway Bridge and you can imagine what it is like on a Monday morning. Thankfully over the weekend the traffic is not concentrated into two rush hours and is therefore passable.

The final post before WIGAN 2017 opens features the cover from our full colour Guidebook celebrating as it does the 50th Exhibition to take place in Wigan. For us this is something of a milestone as over the years the path we have trodden has not always been smooth or straight. On occasions it has been decidedly uphill but nevertheless here we are 50 exhibitions later. Looking back it is easy to see the progression we have made, the exhibition is larger, has more layouts and a greater trade participation than even fifteen years ago. However the exhibition scene is always changing and we always need to try to be ahead of the game. This reflection was prompted by an article in the August Railway Modeller headed 'The provincial model railway shows - are they still viable?. This was the thoughts of Dave Holman who must be part of the organising team for the Chatham Exhibition, traditionally a large provincial show held in June. It makes interesting reading as they have decided to downsize and have organised a much more manageable event. As he says putting ourselves through the logistical nightmare that is an exhibition weekend was no longer as enjoyable as it once was. Make no mistake it is hard work and it has often been said that the activity most similar to railway modelling could be furniture removal as this is certainly what it feels like when the show is finally over. For people to put on an exhibition is has to be enjoyable or you do start to question the whole enterprise. The question then arises as to what makes it enjoyable. In our case it would be to promote the quality within the hobby by bringing to the North West the very best layouts. It is what we have always strived to do. It we can no longer do this then the enjoyment would evaporate. At the moment we are in the midst of a precarious balancing act trying to maintain the quality but also curtailing the costs and in some cases these two positions are diametrically opposed. Put very simply we need visitors through the door as this would dramatically effect the quality of WIGAN 2018 and remove the constant financial worry. I add this as an observation on Model Railway Exhibitions in general and in particular their value for money. I did a rough calculation and factored in to the cost the free hours given over the weekend by our organising team, helpers, layout operators and demonstrators and pondered on the true cost of admission if these free hours had to become paid hours. The 'true' admission charge is in excess of £40 and this would still make it cheaper than most concert tickets or football matches. Yet it still seems impossible to fulfil everyone's expectations. Returning to the original question - are provincial model railway shows viable? well the answer will be the willingness of people to continue to donate those 'free hours' and equally the willingness of visitors to support those endeavours. We very much hope you will support us as we have in mind something very special for WIGAN 2027 our 60th Exhibition if we make it that far.

'Amalgamated Wagon Works' from the Rochdale Model Railway Group with be the fourteenth and last Exhibition Taster as we now start to get into Exhibition Logistics Mode. The 'Wagon Works is an O gauge depiction of a small wagon repair shop, a commonplace facility seen in most areas of the country in 1932 when the layout is set. It is a resurrected project that has been rejuvenated by a new modeller and as such should show what can be achieved with determination. We hope that these 14 tasters have given you some idea of what to expect at WIGAN 2017 but please be aware that this is only a 'taster' as there are another 18 layouts that accompany those illustrated and they are by no means inferior in quality. We also have an extensive collection of over 40 traders and a comprehensive collection of demonstrators. If you are at all interested in Model Railways then you are assured an interesting and worthwhile visit.

TASTER No13 features 'Lincoln Central' which is large OO layout based upon British Railways practice between 1957 and 1971. However I have not included it because of the variety of rolling stock that you might see but because of the buildings, and in particular the Great Northern Hotel. It is modelling of the highest standard. I have included a photograph of the prototype, taken sometime in the 60's judging by the Sunbeam Talbot in the foreground so that a comparison can be made to the model. Who needs trains to run when there are building like these? Sam asks me to post that the last day for the receipt of requests for Advance Tickets is MONDAY 25th SEPTEMBER. They cost £8, including the free Guidebook and gain you early entry into the Exhibition. They are available through our website at www.wiganfrm.co.uk Regarding CAR PARKING, there is a football match on Saturday directly across the road, kick off 3pm. This means that there will be no free car parking, certainly in the afternoon and probably all day. It will get very busy between 2 and 3pm in the afternoon and again from 4.45 until 5.30 so travelling to and fro during those times are to be avoided. It will have quietened by the time the exhibition closes at 5.30. There will also be a lull from 3 until 4.30 when the match is being played. On Sunday the large car parks further along Loire Drive should be free. Wigan Council now view every potential parking place within the Borough as a source of revenue and are aggressively placing meters in every conceivable space. Within a very short time the concept of free parking in Wigan will be but a distant memory. Please be aware that we as a group have absolutely no control over the parking arrangement in the locality of the Sports Centre (if only we did) but we are sure that both The Centre's management and indeed Wigan Council would be very pleased to hear your opinion. Sadly your opinions would be wasted upon us as we have absolutely no influence until the next round of elections.

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT! Exhibition Taster No.12 is Pen-y-Graig built to a scale of 5mm to 1 foot with a track gauge of 12mm. I would suspect that the builder, Barrie Johnson doesn't purchase many ready to run models. This is a narrow gauge line serving the slate and mineral industries in the area. It features a working incline and as one would expect all the rolling stock is either scratch or kit built. A feature of the layout is how well the dilapidated nature of the site has been faithfully replicated

Please note that Exhibition Taster No. 10 'Brixham Bay' is a feature layout in October's British Railway Modelling.

Exhibition Taster No. 11 is a photo supplied to us by Steve Saxby of his layout 'Axmouth'. As is easily seen in the photo it features operation on the Southern Railway in the 1930's prior to World War 2. Although it is a small layout being only scenically 6' it does illustrate what can be achieved when space is limited. It is based upon the terminus at Seaton in Devon, although a mirror image. It has a main platform, bay, engine shed and goods yard. It is often said that railway modellers never have enough space and the space issue is a perennial problem. However 'Axmouth' proves that with research and careful thought an awful lot can be achieved within tight confines that neither inhibit the scenic development or restrict the operation.

Taster No. 10 is a photograph supplied to us by Kevin Cartwright of his N gauge layout 'Brixham Bay'. The superb photographs I have seen show it to be something of a scenic masterpiece faithfully recreating the location and fully exploiting the 2mm scale. This seems to be another layout that may repay careful looking and another reason to make the trip to Wigan.

Our 9th Taster comes all the way from Ayrshire and is an O Gauge masterpiece featuring some truly magnificent locomotives. A diesel depot has been fitted since the last time I saw 'St. Marnock' so I suspect we will see a little more diesel traction. All of the locomotives are sound chipped and some of the steam examples have smoke units as the layout is DCC operated. Yet another layout that will repay close inspection. We also have a team of able demonstrators, notable amongst them will be renowned Locomotive Constructor Tony Wright who will be running his clinic for problematic engines. If you have a dodgy runner bring it to Tony for his advise and assistance. Also present is Geoff Kent, an expert in constructing almost anything from Platikard. He is an acknowledged master of his craft and is, like Tony, very willing to pass on his knowledge and experience.

Our TASTER No. 8 is a stretch of the electrified West Coast Main Line mid way between Preston and Wigan. As the photograph shows the Overhead Line Equipment and the working Colour light signals are well modelled. This layout has been constructed by Preston & District Model Railway Club and we are very pleased to welcome it to Wigan 2017. As a previous poster has mentioned we are a little short of the finescale element this year as the P4 and 2mm Finescale are notable by their absence. Obviously this was not our original intention and we have had a number of layout that we had previously invited who for one reason or another were unable to attend. Some years these things are unavoidable. But as the poster admits there are still so fine layouts on view. Looking through the Guidebook mock up I also note that we have a number of layouts of localities in the area. Euxton Junction, Coppell, Glazebrook, Chester Northgate Shed and Poulton-Le- Fylde are all within easy travelling distance of the Exhibition venue. Some years unusual things happen.

Our TASTER No. 7 features a project undertaken by our colleagues from the Wirral FRM as an interim project between the retirement of 'Widnes Vine Yard' and the next 'big project'. 'Newhaven' was purchased as a running layout but has been extensively reinterpreted including both converting to DCC and turning the layout from an inside L shape into an outside L making it a bit more exhibition friendly. To all intents and purposes it will be a 'new' layout when it makes it's first appearance a Wigan. As with everything the 'Wirral Lads' undertake it will be well worth a look and is yet another reason to visit Wigan 2017. A few reminders, please note the slight change of date, Saturday 30th September & Sunday 1st October and Advance Tickets are now available through our website www. wiganfrm.com and of course accompanied children are as always FREE.

An update regarding our Trade Support. ITT Diecast has been added to the list.

Our latest Taster features the Normanton & Pontefract Model Railway Society's N gauge layout 'Great Burden'. This layout has everything, a canal, a quarry with its own narrow gauge railway and a junction with a riverside oil depot as well as lots of main line traffic as the layout depict a section of the East-West main line on the Yorkshire side of the Pennines. The locomotive and rolling stock reflect the late steam to early diesel period so there is lots of variety and lots to look at. Another layout not to be missed. We also have an addition to the Traders list as Pennine Models will be with us.

The latest TASTER features Bob Harper's 'Maristow' set in deepest Devon on the north bank of the River Tamar. In the Edwardian period in which the layout is set, 1904, the locomotives of the Great Western Railway were magnificent machines and Bob's layout certainly emphasises this aspect of our railway history. The locomotive featured in the photograph is 3256 'Guinevere' a member of the 3252 Class referred to as 'Dukes'. It was built in August 1895 and is resplendent in it's fully lined livery with all brasswork highly polished. This layout features rolling stock of an amazingly high standard and is well worth travelling to Wigan to see!

Please note the LAYOUT LIST now stands at 31, 'Ludlow' having withdrawn. Those like myself who were looking forward to seeing this layout should not despair as it is rebooked for a subsequent Exhibition.

For those visitors who like layouts featuring scenery on the Grand Scale we have Macclesfield Model Railway Group's ON30 layout 'Purgatory Peak'. This American mining layout set in the 1930's is truly epic featuring a stunning mountain landscape together with those idiosyncratic locomotives so beloved by those western companies. If it is atmosphere that you are looking for the 'Purgatory Peak' will be your kind of layout.

Our latest taster is Peter Clark's O Gauge Train Maintenance Depot set in the late 1980's to early 1990's. It is based upon facilities found on Network South East. A section of the mainline has also been modelled which includes several little cameos that require careful searching before all are located. An ideal task for our younger visitors. Nearer the Exhibition date I will try and get details of both the Vintage Bus and the timetable. All I know at the moment is that because of the traffic congestion around Wigan North Western Station it will not be allowed to hang around. Advance Tickets (and they are worth having as you become an authorised queue jumper) are now on sale via our website and are cheaper than last year.

This is GWEEK NORTH QUAY which rather emphasises the point I made in the previous post concerning what we hope to continually bring to Wigan. It is a model of the narrow gauge railway that used to run through the valley of the Helston River. This most unusual prototype was constructed by the members of the Helston & Falmouth Model Railway Club to O Gauge standards but on 16.5mm track. It is beautifully modelled and has not been seen previously in the North West. We can only thank the layout builders for making the long journey to Wigan from deepest Cornwall which is a trek by anybody's standards.